Holiday audiences across the Mobile Bay area will have their choice of “Nutcracker” performances this December, as two local dance companies stage separate productions of the beloved Tchaikovsky ballet on opposite sides of the bay. Between Mobile Ballet’s production in downtown Mobile and Bay Shore Ballet’s staging on the Eastern Shore, families in Mobile and Baldwin counties will have multiple chances to see the classic Christmas story brought to life by local and guest dancers alike.
“The Nutcracker” has long been one of the most performed ballets in the country, and estimates suggest it has sold more tickets for American dance companies than any other single production. Set to Tchaikovsky’s instantly recognizable score, the ballet follows a young girl named Clara through a Christmas Eve dream filled with a nutcracker prince, a mouse king and a parade of sweets ruled over by the Sugar Plum Fairy. Its combination of familiar music, elaborate costumes and family-friendly storytelling has made it a December tradition in cities of all sizes, and the Mobile Bay area is no exception.
Mobile Ballet will present its production as a Sunday matinee on Dec. 15 at 2:30 p.m. at the Mobile Civic Center Theater. The performance will feature guest artists Vilia Putrius and Mindaugas Bauzys, principal dancers with Festival Ballet Providence in Rhode Island, who will join the local company’s dancers on stage for the run.
Tickets for the Mobile Ballet performance range from $15 to $45. Patrons who need specific seating arrangements or handicapped-accessible seating are asked to call 251-342-2241 and ask for Office Coordinator Ed Masline.
On the Eastern Shore, Bay Shore Ballet will unveil its own version of “The Nutcracker” on Dec. 14 and 15 at the Fairhope Civic Center, located at 161 N. Section St. Artistic Director Janet Carole has reset the production in its traditional two full acts, with a cast that includes principal dancer Glorianne Morrow alongside Zack Woods, Lesleigh McKeough, Annie Laurie O’Neill and Tracy Peters. The production also draws on roughly 60 dancers from around the Eastern Shore community, giving many local students and young performers a chance to take the stage in a full-scale holiday production.
Bay Shore Ballet’s schedule includes a special Saturday preview performance beginning at 2 p.m., followed by the evening’s main show at 7:30 p.m. The Sunday performance curtain is set for 3 p.m.
Tickets for the Bay Shore Ballet performances are $12, or $10 for seniors and children 12 and under. Tickets can be purchased at Bay Shore Ballet, located at 305 Fels Ave.; Page and Palette, at 32 S. Section St.; the Coffee Loft, at 503 N. Section St.; or at the door on the day of the performance. For general ticket information, call 251-990-9744. Those interested in reserved seating can contact Trin Ollinger at 251-583-3875.
With performances scheduled across three days between the two companies, holiday theatergoers in the Mobile Bay area will have ample opportunity to catch a live production of the seasonal classic before Christmas arrives.