‘Synonymous with the holidays:’ Eugene Ballet brings magic to ‘The Nutcracker’
The iconic sounds of Tchaikovsky fill the Hult Center as dancers from Eugene Ballet Co. prepare for another year of mischievous mice and dancing sparkling snowflakes in the company's production of "The Nutcracker."
Led by Artistic Director Toni Pimble, the production returns with new characters, choreography and costumes debuted last year. The company's professional dancers will be joined by over 150 Eugene Ballet Academy student dancers for seven performances running this weekend as well as Dec. 21 through Dec. 24.
All performances will feature live music by Orchestra Next. Brian McWhorter, music director and conductor, and Daniel Cho, assistant conductor, will lead the professional and student musicians in the orchestra.
"'The Nutcracker' is synonymous with the holidays," McWhorter said. "It's the piece that we all commune around in this country during the holiday season."
While the show will include first-time "Nutcracker" performers, many of the dancers have performed in the show for years.
“What I like about 'The Nutcracker' is the tradition and the fact that we do it every year,“ said Sarah Kosterman, a principal dancer with the company. “This is not the first year that we've done these roles, and so getting to work on them year after year and get super comfortable with them, it's a really good way to mark your progress.“
With the show being a yearly tradition, the number of performances can rack up quickly for dancers. Principal dancer Mark Tucker estimates he's performed in over 1,000 "Nutcracker" performances throughout his career. But the magic of the show still remains, he said.
“The story is fantastic,” said Tucker, who plays Drosselmeyer among other characters in the show. “There's all those elements of story and entertainment, and then at the same time for the people who are really consumers of the art form, you get to see the big leaps and technical elements that you would expect from a classic ballet.”
This is Tucker and his wife's, principal dancer Danielle Tolmie, 15th year with Eugene Ballet. "The Nutcracker" brings up a lot of memories for both of them.
”We have so many stories of being in the show and things that happen backstage, and it's always fun to relive those moments,” Tolmie said.
This is the company's second year back since the coronavirus pandemic. Kosterman and principal dancer Reed Souther, who dance together as the Snow Queen and King, said they are excited to be back on stage with a greater sense of normalcy.
And like the dancers, audiences are ready to be back, too. Ticket sales are up and they are selling fast, said Katie Patrick, Eugene Ballet's marketing director.
”Audiences are hungry to be back in the theater,” Tucker said. “There's just pent up demand to experience live shows. They've been extra rowdy, and there's lots of energy in the air and sound and then silence when you really have them with you. It's been a terrific experience to be back on stage.”
Eugene Ballet's "The Nutcracker"
When: Dec. 17-18 and Dec. 21-24
Where: Silva Concert Hall, Hult Center for the Performing Arts, 1 Eugene Center
Tickets: Adult tickets start at $25, youth and college tickets (with valid ID) $15. Purchase tickets online at eugeneballet.org, at the Hult Center Ticket Office or by calling 541-682-5000.
Makenzie Elliott covers breaking news and public safety for The Register-Guard. Reach her at MElliott@gannett.com. Find her on Twitter at @makenzielliott.
This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Eugene Ballet brings magic to ‘The Nutcracker’ at Hult Center
