Ballet West Present's The Nutcracker
Ballet West Presents and The George S. and Dolores
Doré Eccles Foundation Presents:
Willam Christensen’s The Nutcracker
SALT LAKE CITY, UT — Ballet West's production of The Nutcracker returns this holiday season to the Janet Quinney Lawson Capitol Theatre in Salt Lake City and the Browning Center at Weber State University.
First staged in 1944 by Ballet West founder Willam Christensen, the production is known as America's 1st Nutcracker™ and is now designated as a Living Historic Landmark by the state of Utah, the first such designation for a ballet in the United States.
This season's production features eight different casts throughout the run, with fresh interpretations of beloved characters in each performance.
"Each season, The Nutcracker gives our audiences the chance to see so many of our dancers shine in leading roles," said Ballet West Artistic Director Adam Sklute. "It’s an excellent opportunity to experience the extensive breadth of talent within the company, often seeing dancers in roles you might not otherwise catch them in."
More than 300 local children from Ballet West Academy and the community will also perform alongside professional company dancers, continuing a tradition that has connected generations of Utah families to the art of ballet.
When a reporter back in 1944 asked Christensen how many years the production would run, he responded simply, "It will go on for as long as there are children."
Eighty years since its creation, his words have proven prophetic. Since Mr. C brought his Nutcracker to Utah in 1955, Ballet West has maintained this beloved tradition and remains the only company in the United States that performs this historic production.
Performance Details
The Nutcracker opens Nov. 28 at the Browning Center at Weber State University in Ogden, with performances through Nov. 30. The production then moves to the Janet Quinney Lawson Capitol Theatre in Salt Lake City for performances Dec. 5 through Dec. 27.
Single tickets start at $39 and are available at BalletWest.org or by calling 801-869-6900. With the majority of performances selling out in recent years, early ticket purchase is recommended.
The production features Tchaikovsky's iconic score performed live by Ballet West's orchestra, along with elaborate sets and costumes that were most recently updated in 2017. The Nutcracker is generously presented annually by the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation.
About America's 1st Nutcracker™
Ballet West's production of The Nutcracker holds a unique place in American dance history as the first full-length staging of the ballet in the United States. Choreographed by Willam Christensen in 1944 for San Francisco Ballet, this pioneering production sparked a cultural phenomenon that transformed The Nutcracker into the beloved holiday tradition it is today. Ballet West is the only company in the United States that continues to perform Christensen's original choreography, preserving an irreplaceable piece of American ballet heritage.
To learn more about the history of America's 1st Nutcracker™, visit Americas1stNutcracker.org.