New Jersey Ballet’s ‘Nutcracker’ Coming to Court House Dec. 11

COURT HOUSE – There’s no better way to bring in the holidays than spending an afternoon with a little girl named Clara and her amazing Nutcracker. New Jersey Ballet’s beloved production of this holiday classic will visit Middle township PAC in Cape May Court House on Sun., Dec. 11 for two performances; 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.
Tickets are $20, $18 and $10 for children 10 and under. Tickets can be ordered at 609-463-1924 or www.Middlepac.com.
New Jersey Ballet’s Nutcracker is the longest-running original professional production in the state. It debuted at Paper Mill Playhouse in 1971 with Edward Villella (then a star with New York City Ballet) as the Cavalier. Today, after over 800 performances involving more than 4000 dancers and children and seen by over a million viewers, this Nutcracker has become a cherished holiday tradition with generations of theatergoers throughout New Jersey and beyond.
The production began touring in the early 1980s and continues to travel around the state each year. This year’s stops include bergenPAC in Englewood and Mayo PAC in Morristown. In past years, Nutcracker has also visited theatres out of state and in 2008, it became the first full length classical ballet ever performed in India, where it packed that country’s new Performing Arts Center in Mumbai.
The production features splendid dancing by the company’s acclaimed troupe of international artists, colorful costumes and scenery, eye-popping special effects and a touch of holiday magic that inspires critics to write “It’s a spectacle that never seems to age…magic that should go on and on,” and “One of the best…as good as it gets.”
At the Cape May performances, the roles of Mother Ginger’s Clown Children will be danced by students from the Art of Gymnastics and Cheer in Rio Grande.
Over the years, New Jersey Ballet has given performances in state at the following locations:
• Glassboro
• Ocean City (with the Ocean City Pops)
• Long Branch (Stafford PAC)
• Sparta
• West Milford
• Montclair High School
• Symphony Hall, Newark
• Paper Mill
• Mayo Performing Arts Center
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They have also performed out of state at:
• Bloomsburg PA
• Susquehanna PA
• Buffalo NY
• Sugar Loaf, NY (Lyceum theatre)
• Athens Ohio
• Myrtle Beach SC (11 performance run)
• And Mumbai, India, where the production New Jersey Ballet’s became the first full-length classical ballet ever presented in India. Accompanied by India’s 65-piece symphony orchestra, the ballet was originally set for two performances. But it quickly sold out and the theatre announced a third performance which promptly sold out as well.
New Jersey Ballet’s extensive performance schedule is made possible in part by support from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, and by other generous corporate, foundation, and individual contributors. New Jersey Ballet’s series at The Community Theatre is made possible In part by the F. M. Kirby Family Foundation. The company has been designated a Major Arts Institution by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts for “artistic excellence, substantial programming, and broad public service,” and has twice been voted New Jersey’s Favorite Dance Company in an online poll conducted by Jersey Arts Marketers.
For more information and a complete performance schedule, please visit New Jersey Ballet’s Web site at www.njballet.org.