The Central NJ Ballet Theatre recently presented “The Nutcracker” at Villa Victoria Academy in Ewing and the Carslake Community Center in Bordentown.
Presented by young ballerinas and danseurs, the Central NJ Ballet Theatre’s children put on a wonderful production.
Localizing the show, a bit, this rendition of “The Nutcracker” took place in 1816 at the Bonaparte’s Point Breeze Estate in Bordentown.
The production begins as Mrs. Bonaparte (Caitlyn Yang) is throwing her annual Christmas party for all the local women and their children. The Bonaparte children, Clara (Stevie Schaffer Massingill) and her sister, Fritz (Kiera Schaffer Massingill) are among the guests as well.
Soon the Bonaparte children’s Uncle Drosselmeyer (Benjamin Warren and Father Matt Tucker) arrives to the party, where he plans to entertain the children with stories and his magical toys. Dolls that come to life- a Harlequin (Kelby Warner), Ballerina (Mollie Ward) and Soldier (Elisabeth Crosse).
Uncle Drosselmeyer begins to hand out gifts to the children and gives Clara a nutcracker. Out of jealousy, her sister Fritz takes the nutcracker and breaks it on the floor. Saddened by her new toy breaking, Uncle Drosselmeyer takes the pieces from Clara and mends the nutcracker with magic.
Clara now happy again with her new toy, falls asleep under the Christmas tree with her nutcracker.
Waking up at the stroke of midnight, Clara’s adventure begins as she is taken the Land of Sweets as Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s classic unfolds.
The Central NJ Ballet Theatre performers all did a wonderful job. Listed in the order of appearance:
Stevie Schaffer Massingill, Caitlyn Yang, Benjamin Warren, Father Matt Tucker, Kiera Schaffer Massingill, Elisabeth Crosse, Mollie Ward, Kelby Warner, Chloe Moeller, Sara Sivieri, Cassandra Kohlmayer, Deanna Kennedy, Ava Quimbly, Lilly Fanikos, Guenivere Cioch, Mackenzie Mayers, Autumn Young, Anna McElmoyl, Margot Pecht, Samantha Philistine, Marianna Rojas, Isabella Brady-Lee, Madison Anderson, Jonna Kraiem, Giselle Pecht, Violet Szabo, Sophia Szabo, Kelsi Schaffer Massingill, Annamarie Peters, Patrick Dziegielewski, Tiffany Matthews, Zoe Amato, Niyati Bandlamudi, Ava Dressel, Ana McElmoyl, Jessa Bernotas, Nateale Kraiem, Ben Landis, Scarlet Rankin, Anna Li Lotz, Harper Naprawa, Veronica Curry, Claire Dressel, Isabella Moeller, Mae Quimby, Anni Roames, Tanner Hutchinson, Samuel St. Juste, Kayla Miller-Keister, Emma Landis, Ashlynn Yang, Kylie Byrne, Shriya Varma and Deanna Kennedy.
For more information on The Central NJ Ballet Theatre, visit www.cnjballet.comor call 609-424-3192. Class schedules are offered from Monday – Saturday and are listed on the website.
