UNIVERSITY PARK — “The Nutcracker,” this year, will be performed by The Nittany Ballet on Dec. 14 at 7:30 p.m. and on Dec. 15, at 3 p.m. at Eisenhower Auditorium at Penn State. The performances at Mishler Theater in Altoona are scheduled for Dec. 19 and 20 at 7:30 p.m.
This is the first year for executive artistic director Connor Weigand to direct “The Nutcracker” in State College. He was executive director for three years.
Since the Allegheny School has closed, some of the students have been welcomed into the Nittany Valley School in State College.
Since taking on the job of executive artistic director, Weigand has tried to stay true to the artistic work of the previous director, Rebecca Maciejczyk, while still adding his own touches. He got permission to use Paul Gibson’s (former Ballet Master for Pacific Northwest Ballet) choreography for the snow and flowers of Nutcracker.
“There is a new battle scene this year and we have expanded our reach with students from Bellwood, Altoona and Cambria County. We have been rehearsing with the oldest students since September,” Weigand said. “They are rehearsing three hours during the week and four to five hours on the weekend. The youngest kids are rehearsing one and a half to two hours every Saturday. The students range in age from four to 17 years.”
Kayla McCloskey is the associate art director of the show. She grew up in Bellwood and danced in the Allegheny School in Altoona for eight years.
Guest performer for this year will be Frances Lawrence as Snow King and Cavalier. He is originally from Australia and recently came off of a Broadway tour of American in Paris.
Tickets are on sale at the Mishler Box Office and Eisenhower Auditorium. You can order online at mishlertheatre.org. or cpa.psu.edu.
