‘The Nutcracker’ takes a village to produce

While Central West Ballet stages “The Nutcracker” every Christmas, the company readily admits the show doesn’t really belong to it.

Sure, the professional ballet company and its 26 dancers perform, choreograph and produce the holiday classic about a little girl who receives a nutcracker on Christmas Eve and then dreams of fanciful and magical adventures. But the show, which the company has put on for more than 25 years in Modesto, is actually a community event.

“This is one show for the young and old and the entire community,” said Central West artistic director René Daveluy. “Central Valley children really do get a large opportunity to perform. People love it so much; we do what we can to expand it each year.”

This year, the street scene, which opens the show, has been lengthened. Various party and dance scenes also have been beefed up over the years as well, to help accommodate the 140 children included in the production. Dance students from studios across the region take part, as well as some non-dancers and prominent community members.

The company begins its two-weekend run Friday, Dec. 11, and will stage seven performances through Sunday, Dec. 20, at Gallo Center for the Arts.

The show has become a tradition not only for the dancers, but for students, families and more – both on stage and off. Thirteen-year-old dancer Piper Johnson will be in her fifth “Nutracker” this year, playing the role of Clara, the little girl gifted with the nutcracker.

“It’s fun and it’s very exciting to be her,” Johnson said. “The character of Clara, people all think she is an angel, but she fights with her brother. She gets scared, but she’s also smart.”

As in years past, the show will switch out its student performers to give more young dancers the opportunity to be on stage. One cast will perform the first week, another the second week. The key dance roles, from the Sugar Plum Fairy to the Snow Queen to the Flower King and more, will also be rotated through the company’s professional principals.

“It’s fun to fit them all in and also to give something back to the community in terms of training, performing and stagecraft,” Daveluy said. “It gives all of the kids a maximum amount of showtime.”

The elaborate show, with all its moving parts, involves more than 200 costumes. Rehearsals began the last week of October and run six days a week. During the production, about 20 volunteers each night help to get cast members where they need to be, and parents of student dancers are given makeup seminars to help with costuming.

“We fill out every square inch of the Mary Stuart Rogers Theater,” said Central West ballet master Leslie Ann Larson. “Every dressing room, every laundry room, every quick-change area. It’s so exciting to see it all come together.”

As in years past, there will be a holiday boutique set up in the lobby during performances. Youngsters are also invited to take part in special Sugar Plum Fairy parties after the matinee performances on Dec. 12, 13 and 19.

A relatively new tradition in the show is the inclusion of special guests selected to perform the larger-than-life role of Mother Ginger, who appears in the second act to dance with children in the Sugar Plum Fairy Court. Prominent community and arts members have played the role each night for the past two years.

This year they are Marian Kaanon from the Stanislaus Community Foundation on Dec. 11; Damon Robbins from Camp 4 Wine Cafe on Dec. 12; Kate Trompetter from the Center for Human Services on Dec. 13; arts supporter Marilyn Rowland on Dec. 18; Hugh Rose III from the Central West Ballet board on Dec. 19; Kaye Osborn from Modesto Junior College on Dec. 19; and Sue Richardson from the State Theatre on Dec. 20.

For dancers such as Phillip Riskin, who has been with Central West for about eight years, “The Nutcracker” is a chance to capture the public’s imagination once more, and share the joy of the season anew.

“People know the story already,” said Riskin, who plays the magical Drosselmeyer, who gives Clara her nutcracker. “So if they come to see this show, it’s about seeing a fairy story told over again.”

This story was originally published December 8, 2015 at 4:20 PM with the headline "‘The Nutcracker’ takes a village to produce."