Children’s ‘Nutcracker’ ballet blends clever surprises with tradition

For 35 years, the Children’s Ballet Theatre has been performing the Nutcracker on Thanksgiving weekend. But they still find ways to keep it fresh every year.

“There is something warm and fuzzy about the classics that make people comfortable,” said CBT’s artistic director, Gregory George.

“The timing of our Nutcracker is just perfect. People get excited about shopping, they’ve not already been shopping for weeks and are sick of it. The Christmas music is just starting, and we capture that excitement right at the beginning. It’s conducive to good entertainment.”

The CBT Nutcracker adds a prologue each year with Drosselmeyer, the toymaker-magician, who is Clara’s godfather. Every year they have different dolls and every year the Rat King gets a new demise.

“Every year the Rat King dies in a different way, it’s very humorous,” said Cindy Kangas, a parent volunteer with CBT. “People look for it every year. In the past he’s died by boiling in cheese, or a cage has come down and the soldiers have locked him in it. It’s really creative. This year he dies by chandelier — that’s something a little quirky and new this year.”

Other aspects come and go depending on the year.

This year the “Growing Tree” is back. During Clara’s dream, she envisions a growing Christmas tree that is large. Also George himself will dance with the company this year as Drosselmeyer.

It’s a decision he didn’t make lightly, but with their senior male dancer graduating last year, there was a dearth of men to dance the part. He kept it open for a long time, but eventually made the decision to fill the role himself.

He brings plenty of experience to the role. He’s has danced in Nutcrackers as many as 2000 times during his 20 years as a professional. He used to go on tour with dance companies performing the Nutcracker up to six times a week.

Now he brings his expert focus as a director and choreographer to CBT, which he’s been with for 18 years. He’s the one who comes up with the new twists in the Nutcracker every year.

“People have grown accustomed (to the surprises),” said George. “Each year we try to adapt how we kill the Rat King. The dolls I keep coming up with are different. Typically in the original there is a harlequin, ballerina and a nutcracker. I’ve introduced the rat doll, a baseball team, one that looks like those iron toys kids used to have, a bear rug that comes to life, a calliope, a cuckoo clock.”

This year, a mirror doll was added. It’s fun for the dancers and the choreographer, but it was a challenge for the prop makers and costume designers, he said.

“It’s an incredible process here of building everything from scratch. As a non-profit company, it is sometimes a bit difficult financially to meet your budgetary needs to produce the show people are expecting. I told the board several years ago, I would never go backward to accommodate shortages.

“We find how we can fill the shortage and that collaboration between the board and the artistic staff is the reason for CBT sustaining itself over the years.”

This year they have three seniors performing in the Nutcracker. Brianna Renfrew is dancing the Sugar Plum Fairy for the second year in a row and Allie Cates and Katrina Granger are dancing a special dance designed for seniors along with performing the roles of the Dew Drops in the Waltz of the Flowers.

Some things stay the same.

For the eighth year in a row, the ballet will include dancers from the Children’s Miracle Network who dance in either wheelchairs or with walkers. It’s a collaboration between the network and the ballet company that has featured young people with handicaps in all of their shows.

The CBT also hosts a Monday show for schools and for the first time in the past 20 years, they’ve sold out the show and have a waiting list.

“We’re sharing with the community, those who might not get to view ballet,” said Kangas.

“This is something we’re really proud of, and we’re so excited about it. We found some sponsors to pay for schools that wouldn’t have been able to come if they hadn’t had that. We’re giving back and providing performance art opportunities.”

As part of the 35th anniversary celebration, the troupe is hosting an alumni meet and greet at Wharton Center from 5:30-7 p.m.

“It’s a great way to get them reconnected,” said George. “We all get together and chat about old times and new times, it’s quite fun.”

One of the things they’ll have to talk about will be the Nutcrackers that they each participated and performed in over the past 35 years. George said the production really is a joint effort between everyone involved.

“The collaboration between the parents and the artists and myself is the gift we give the audience,” said George. “It’s not just the dancer or the parent or the director, it’s everybody. That gift when you see the audiences feel—that’s what it’s all about.”

If you go

What: The Nutcracker, Children’s Ballet Theatre

Where: Cobb Great Hall, Wharton Center, Michigan State University campus, East Lansing

When: Friday and Saturday, 7:30 p.m., Sunday, 2 p.m.

Tickets: $14-$23; www.whartoncenter.com