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Norman's most popular holiday tradition, The Oklahoma Nutcracker, will return to the Sooner Theatre this December for its seventh season. Tickets for the production are now on sale and can be purchased through the Norman Ballet Company Box Office at 326-9147.
The Norman Ballet Company version of the beloved ballet classic, the Nutcracker, is centered on Oklahoma historical figures (the Henry Overholser family) in Act I and celebrates Oklahoma's natural treasures in Act II, while still retaining the traditional Nutcracker story and score by Tchaikovsky.
Norman Ballet Company members and apprentices, as well as ballet students from studios throughout central Oklahoma will be dancing in the production. Guest artists Charlotte Loyd Hart and Carlo Sierras will join the cast, dancing the roles of the Sand Plum Fairy and her Prince.
This year's production will feature a new Christmas tree in Act I, as well as several new characters in Act II who will join the already popular roles of Mama Armadillo and her babies, the Scissortail Flycatcher, Indian Paintbrushes, and other Oklahoma natural treasures familiar to Oklahoma audiences.
Complementing The Oklahoma Nutcracker performances will be the Sand Plum Fairy Tea Parties, an event held specifically for families and children at the Depot in downtown Norman. The tea parties, which are held at 12:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday before the matinee performances, include reserved seating, crafts, and the opportunity to meet the Sand Plum Fairy in person. Tickets for the Sand Plum Fairy Tea Party are $18 and also can be purchased through the box office.
The Oklahoma Nutcracker will be performed 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 20 and 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for children 12 and under.
The 2008 performances of The Oklahoma Nutcracker are made possible in part by grants from the Norman Arts Council, the Oklahoma Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, and donations from local businesses and individuals.
