North Carolina Nutcracker Launches Holiday Season
November 10, 2005
About the time the Thanksgiving turkey leftovers have run their course, The Nutcracker ballet reappears to herald the start of another holiday season. Charlotte's North Carolina Dance Theatre brings a fresh perspective on The Nutcracker to Penn State's Eisenhower Auditorium in a Center for the Performing Arts presentation of the Pyotr Tchaikovsky-scored classic at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 29.
Clive Barnes, dean of American dance critics, calls North Carolina Dance Theatre "one of the liveliest and most brilliant–the level of dancing is outstanding–classic troupes in North America."
Section one and two tickets are on sale now at $34 and $26 for an adult; $18 and $10 for a University Park student; and $24 and $16 for a person 18 and younger. For tickets and information, visit www.cpa.psu.edu or phone (814) 863-0255. Outside the local calling area, dial 1-800-ARTS-TIX. Tickets are also available at Eisenhower Auditorium, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays; Penn State Tickets Downtown, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday; HUB-Robeson Center Information Desk, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays when Penn State classes are in session; and Bryce Jordan Center, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Ticket locations will be closed Nov. 24 in observance of Thanksgiving Day.
Purchase Nutcracker tickets at Penn State Tickets Downtown beginning Thursday, Nov. 17, and receive a coupon for a 20-percent discount on the price of the same number of tickets to the Russian National Ballet in The Sleeping Beauty, a March 31 Center for the Performing Arts presentation at Eisenhower.
The North Carolina rendition of The Nutcracker, choreographed by former company artistic director Salvatore Aiello, unfolds with grace, crystalline splendor and humor. Dozens of State College-area children and teens, chosen from among candidates who participated in open auditions, join the cast of more than 30 professionals in the holiday perennial.
The troupe's dancers are renowned for their energy, precision and speed. Founded in 1970 by Robert Lindgren, a former New York City Ballet dancer, the company relocated from Winston-Salem to Charlotte in 1990.
Artistic director Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux, former choreographer and ballet master of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, has performed with the Bolshoi, Kirov and New York City ballets. He has choreographed works for many companies, including the Metropolitan Opera Ballet Company and Philadelphia‚s Pennsylvania Ballet.
Jersey Shore State Bank sponsors the performance. WTAJ-TV10 is the media partner, while radio station 95.3 3WZ is the media sponsor. Artistic Viewpoints, sponsored by the Center for the Performing Arts Community Advisory Council, provides insight from a visiting artist or local expert and is offered free to interested ticket holders in the Eisenhower Auditorium Conference Room one hour before the performance. Audio description, which is especially helpful to patrons with sight loss, is available for The Nutcracker at no charge to ticket holders.
Support Toys for Tots: bring a new, unwrapped toy to the Eisenhower collection bin when you attend a November performance.
Contact: Laura Sullivan
(814) 863-6379