The Spotlight

Missouri Ballet Theatre Presents 'The Nutcracker' At Clayton's Edison Theatre

The holiday classic showing this weekend features two ballerinas alternating in the production's most coveted role.

Along with all the unmistakable signs of the yuletide season—frenzied shopping, Christmas trees, festive lights, party-going and a sudden outpouring of good will—productions of The Nutcracker convey that Christmas is near and that the time to get into the holiday spirit has arrived. The ballet has become a mainstay of the holiday season in America. It is based on E. T. A. Hoffmann's The Nutcracker and the Mouse King and features music by Tchaikovsky. “It's an interesting phenomenon, and it's only in America,” said Adam Sage, founder and artistic director of Missouri Ballet Theatre. The company will present the ballet at the Edison Theatre in Clayton from Friday through Tuesday. “Most countries don't do this for Christmas.” The ballet …

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The Spotlight

'Nutcracker' by Young St. Louis Ballet Company Proves Strong

The Missouri Ballet Theatre performed the traditional holiday favorite Dec. 17 at the Edison Theatre.

A beautifully wrapped Christmas present sat under the Variety Club tree on the stage at the Edison Theatre on Dec. 17, and from it came a delightful production of The Nutcracker by the Missouri Ballet Theatre, full of love, warmth, beauty and grace. A final performance is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Dec. 19. The curtain rises on the Silberhaus family as it is celebrating Christmas. Herr Drosselmeyer, the godfather portrayed by the company's ballet master Robert Philander Valentine, arrives. A gifted toymaker, he presents some magical toys to all the children in the form of a soldier doll—portrayed by Jamal White, who danced strongly—and a Columbine doll, superbly performed by Jessica Ruhlin. When Drosselmeyer presents a Nutcracker to Clara—…

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Missouri Ballet Theatre to Present 'Nutcracker'

The classic Christmas ballet will be performed at the Edison Theatre in Clayton.

St. Louis' own Missouri Ballet Theatre will bring its version of The Nutcracker to the Edison Theatre in Clayton at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 17. Based on E. T. A. Hoffmann's The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, and featuring music by Tchaikovsky, the play opens on the Stahlbaum family on Christmas Eve. Godfather Drosselmeyer arrives and presents gifts to the children, Clara and Fritz. Clara's gift is a beautiful nutcracker, which becomes the hit of the party. Feeling the pangs of jealousy, Fritz breaks it and leaves Clara heartbroken. That night, Clara dreams of a fantastical journey on which her nutcracker battles the Mouse King in March of the Toy Soldiers and visits the resplendent Sugar Plum Fairy. The Nutcracker is a story full of magical …

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