It is Christmas Eve when families make their way to the celebrated Christmas party of Mrs. Stahlbaum and her children, Marie and Fritz.

The party is already alive with music and dancing when Uncle Drosselmeyer arrives with his magic wand and extraordinary toys. The children gather round as Drosselmeyer stages a puppet show, telling a story of a great battle between the Nutcracker Prince and the Mouse King. Afterwards, the children watch in awe as his magic wand waves to life mechanical dolls from around the world that  dazzle the crowd with their dancing. The children beg Drosselmeyer for one more surprise. Finally, he reveals the most magical wonder yet: the Nutcracker Doll.  Most of the children turn away from this odd looking creature. Marie, however, is instantly drawn to it, and as she begins to dance with her new companion, her enchantment grows. Her delight is suddenly interrupted when the Nutcracker slips from her fingers and breaks.  Tearfully, she asks Uncle Drosselmeyer to mend it, and soon the Nutcracker is good as new.

At last, the families return to their own homes, tired but happy. Just before midnight, Marie slips back to the place where she left her beloved Nutcracker. Suddenly, mice begin to fill the darkness and creep toward her cherished doll.  As Marie tries to protect the Nutcracker, the magic of Drosselmeyer  descends, causing the Christmas tree to grow, and the Nutcracker to jump to his feet, prepared for battle.  The Nutcracker Prince and his toy soldiers finally triumph over the Mouse King.  The old curse is broken, and the Nutcracker is free to become a Prince once more.  The Prince and Marie rejoice as the first Christmas snow sweeps them up and carries them to a far-distant land filled with magic.

- INTERMISSION - 

After traveling through the forest, Marie and the Prince arrive at the magical land ruled by the Sugar Plum Fairy Queen. Marie is delighted to find Uncle Drosselmeyer there and runs to greet him. Drosselmeyer introduces them to the Sugar Plum Queen and describes the adventures that brought them to this land. Following the tale, the Prince declares his love for Marie. The Queen, charmed by their devotion, asks her flower maidens to bring bridal clothes for their wedding. Marie and the Prince thank her, take the clothes, and return transformed into the very picture of a fairy tale Prince and Princess.  However, just as the Queen and Drosselmeyer bless their marriage, a mouse suddenly runs onto the scene and tries to start a fight with the Prince. The Sugar Plum Queen breaks up the fight and settles the matter once and for all by offering the mouse a delicious piece of cheese. The mouse is so overjoyed with his gift that he quite forgets its lost tail. With peace restored, the festivities begin as Marie joins her bridesmaids in a joyful dance. Mother Ginger, a favorite inhabitant of the land, summons her cooks to help her make delicious ginger cookies for the occasion. As the wedding draws near, the Sugar Plum Queen and her retinue present a beautiful Waltz to honor the royal couple. Finally, the moment arrives when, radiant with happiness, the bride and groom express their love for one another before all their guests in a grand wedding dance. Soon, the guests swirl around the pair in one final celebration, before melting into the night. Throughout it all, Drosselmeyer watches with a smile.

The next morning, Marie awakens in her own house, filled with confusion.  When her Uncle Drosselmeyer enters the room, she pleads with him for answers. 
Was it real or was it all a dream…?  Drosselmeyer returns with the Prince who presents Marie with a crown.  As the light fades, the question remains… was it real or a beautiful Christmas dream?  

ACT I

Marie – Jane Weymouth (Friday evening, Saturday matinée),
              Seine Chin (Saturday evening, Sunday matinée)

Nutcracker / Prince – Mateusz Lojewski (Saturday evening, Sunday matinée),
                                     Noah Speed (Friday evening, Saturday matinée)

Uncle Drosselmeyer - Guillermo Franco

Mrs. Stahlbaum (Marie & Fritz' Mom) - Shannon Thurston

Fritz – Mateusz Lojewski (Friday evening, Saturday matinée),
            Noah Speed (Saturday evening, Sunday matinée)

Kissing Doll – Kokoha Goto (Friday evening, Saturday matinée),
                        Jane Weymouth (Saturday evening, Sunday matinée)

Russian Doll – Gianna Wilson (Friday evening), Seine Chin (Saturday matinée),
                         Maxine Pallante (Saturday evening), Sophia Rastelli (Sunday matinée)

Party Girls – Jane Mautz (Friday evening, Saturday matinée) / Kokoha Goto (Saturday Evening, Sunday matinée), Maddison Goode (Friday Evening, Saturday matinée) / Lily Weymouth (Saturday Evening, Sunday matinée), Maxine Pallante (Friday Evening, Saturday matinée) / Gianna Wilson (Saturday Evening, Sunday matinée), Sophia Rastelli (Friday Evening, Saturday matinée) / Maria O’Farrill (Saturday Evening, Sunday matinée)

Parents – Mariana Cornejo, Dawn Wiers, Greg Wiers, John Buys.

Maid – Jane Weymouth, Seine Chin, Jane Mautz, Gianna Wilson.

Mouse King - Mateusz Lojewski (Friday evening, Saturday matinée),
                        Noah Speed (Saturday evening, Sunday matinée)

Mice – Jane Mautz, Maxine Pallante, Gianna Wilson, Sophia Rastelli

Soldiers – Maria O’Farrill, Lily Weymouth (Friday evening, Saturday matinée, Sunday matinée), Kokoha Goto (Saturday evening), Maddison Goode (Friday evening, Saturday matinée, Sunday matinée), Madison Fehnel (Saturday matinée, Saturday evening), Elena Parker (Friday evening, Saturday evening, Sunday matinée)

Little Soldiers – Maria Parker, Logan True, Meredith Potvin, Tiger Haiss, Anevay Downs

Snowflakes – Gianna Wilson, Jane Mautz, Kokoha Goto, Maxine Pallante, Seine Chin (Friday evening, Saturday matinée) / Jane Weymouth (Saturday evening, Sunday matinée), Sophia Rastelli (Friday evening, Saturday matinée) / Lily Weymouth (Saturday evening, Sunday matinée)

Little Snow – Maddison Goode, Madison Fehnel, Elena Parker, Elsie Gray

Baby Snow – Maria Parker, Logan True, Meredith Potvin, Tiger Haiss, Anevay Downs

ACT II

Marie – Jane Weymouth (Friday evening, Saturday matinée), Seine Chin (Saturday evening, Sunday matinée)

Nutcracker / Prince – Mateusz Lojewski (Saturday evening, Sunday matinée), Noah Speed (Friday evening, Saturday matinée)

Uncle Drosselmeyer - Guillermo Franco

Sugar Plum Queen – Kokoha Goto (Friday evening, Saturday matinée), Jane Mautz (Saturday evening, Sunday matinée)

Spanish Variation – Mariana Cornejo & José Porras

Chinese Variation – Jane Mautz (Friday evening, Saturday matinée), Maxine Pallante (Saturday evening, Sunday matinée)

Little Chinese – Maria Parker, Logan True, Meredith Potvin, Tiger Haiss, Anevay Downs

French Variation – Elena Parker, Maddison Goode (Friday evening, Saturday matinée), Madison Fehnel (Saturday evening, Sunday matinée)

Arabian Variation – Jane Weymouth & Noah Speed (Saturday evening, Sunday matinée), Seine Chin & Mateusz Lojewski (Friday evening, Saturday matinée)

Bridesmaids – Jane Mautz, Maxine Pallante, Gianna Wilson (Friday evening) / Lily Weymouth (Saturday matinée), Sophia Rastelli (Friday evening) / Maria O’Farrill (Saturday matinée)

Mother Ginger - John Buys

Cooks – Madison Fehnel, Maddison Goode, Elsie Gray, Elena Parker

Cupcakes – Alice Brownell, Ryleigh Watson, Bodhi Witham, Aviana Curtis

Rose Waltz – Seine Chin (Friday evening, Saturday matinée) / Jane Weymouth (Saturday evening, Sunday matinée), Lily Weymouth (Friday evening, Saturday evening) / Maria O’Farrill (Saturday matinée, Sunday matinée), Jane Mautz (Friday evening, Saturday matinée) / Kokoha Goto (Saturday evening, Sunday matinée), Gianna Wilson, Sophia Rastelli, Maxine Pallante

Sugar Plum Escort – Lily Weymouth, Maria O’Farrill, Sophia Rastelli, Maxine Pallante (Friday evening, Saturday matinée) / Kokoha Goto (Saturday evening, Sunday matinée)

Escort – Maddison Goode, Madison Fehnel, Elsie Gray, Elena Parker

Mouse reprise – Gianna Wilson

Our adult performers:

Shannon Thurston, Johnny Buys, Dawn and Greg Wiers, for sharing the stage with our dancers.

Our guest artists: Mariana Cornejo & José Porras

Our Costume Mistress: Amy

- Waterville Opera House -

Michelle Sweet, Executive Director

Erik Thomas, Assistant Executive Director

Bryant Cyr, Production Manager/Lighting

Juniper Purinton, Technical Director

N. Blake Bartlett

Winthrop Carter

Mike Fendler & Melinda Loveitt

Maine Community Foundation on behalf

of Warren and Brammie Cook

Ben Speed & Bob Potts

Paul Faria

Mr. David Pearson, MCI Head of School

Guillermo Franco, BBT Program Manager

Bob Sloma & MCI’s Maintenance Department

Matthew George, MCI Art Teacher

Dana Fehnel & BBT's 'Friends of the Ballet'

BBT parents and families

A special thanks to our talented Artistic Director, Natalya Getman, without whom none of this would be possible.

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