Annual Production of The Nutcracker Features Live Orchestra at the Civic Auditorium
By Betty Sanchez
This December, the most festive of all holiday music will permeate the Civic Auditorium, played by 52 professional musicians directed by Maestro Pamela Martin. Audiences agree there is nothing more stirring than the beautiful Tchaikovsky score played live by a full orchestra.
Music Director Pamela Martin and the Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre Orchestra take their bow.
Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre (SCBT) presents the original production of The Nutcracker in our artistically rich enclave. First presented at Cabrillo College as an abbreviated suite, the production grew to full-scale in 1998.
In 2002 Artistic Directors Robert Kelley and Diane Cypher had the support of the SCBT board to make the huge leap of hiring a live orchestra. The production moved to the Civic to accomplish this, with former Santa Cruz Symphony Music Director Larry Granger at the podium.
Now readying for its 18th production at the Civic, the production is grander than ever, keeping its sheen with the talents of each new crop of dancers and new choreography to showcase their unique skill.
Guest stars Melody Mennite and Lucien Postlewaite. • Photo Credit: Lynne Owen
The annual Santa Cruz classic features guest stars Melody Mennite and Lucien Postlewaite — currently principal dancers at major ballet companies — who were once students in Santa Cruz and who danced in SCBT’s The Nutcracker when they were children.
Melody is a principal dancer with Houston Ballet and will dance the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy, as she has done in previous years. She has an uncanny grasp on the delicacies and quiet strength of the demanding role, and every year brings refreshed delight to her interpretation.
Her partner will be SCBT alumnus Lucien Postlewaite. Lucien is a principal dancer with Pacific Northwest Ballet, and has also danced with Les Ballet de Monte-Carlo. Both of these seasoned professionals danced together as a partnership with SCBT years ago.
SCBT presented its first “Swan Lake Act II” featuring them together, and many new works had been choreographed for the pair by Robert Kelley. They have a unique bond, not only with each other, but also with our community. It is details like this which turn any competent performance into a real life dream, like that of little Clara’s in this annual classic.
This season the local troupe of pre-professional dancers features an unusual number of talented young men in its ranks. These teens have studied dance fiercely for years, and together they have quite the presence.
As always, the choreography is spiritedly honed for each new group of dancers, and this year is no exception. Guest Choreographer and well-known craftsman Ron Cunningham has been brought in to create a special new Waltz of the Flowers especially for this group of danseurs.
The new waltz brings an added grace and agility and features 9 female and 5 male dancers. Though not professionals — yet — these young artists sparkle in the new arrangement and will surely delight audiences with their abilities and aplomb.
Seeing young people work together so seamlessly is a welcome tonic to today’s tumultuous world. Be sure to get tickets to the local Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre production, The Nutcracker, which delights, with live music!
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“The Nutcracker” presented by Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre with live orchestra at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium. Performances are Saturday, December 21 at 2pm and 6pm and Sunday, December 22 at 1pm. Tickets can be purchased at SantaCruzTickets.com or at the Civic Box Office, 307 Church Street or by calling (831) 420-5260.
Additional add-on special events for children of all ages include Sweet Treats Meet and Greet event and Meet the Percussion Section.
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Visit scbt.org for more information.