HOLIDAY BALLET: American Repertory dancers, from left, Lily Krisko, Erikka Reenstierna-Cates, Rachel Quiner, Roland Jones, and Tomoya Suzuki will appear in “The Nutcracker” at McCarter Theatre and other New Jersey venues this season. (Photo by Harald Schrader)

American Repertory Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker is one of the longest running in the nation. Performances will take place from Friday, November 29 through Sunday, December 22, in Princeton, Red Bank, Trenton, and New Brunswick, starting with McCarter Theatre November 29-December 1.

Students from Princeton Ballet School (PBS), the official school of American Repertory Ballet (ARB), participate in the ballet, which tells the story of Clara, a young girl who receives a magical Christmas gift and embarks on an enchanted journey. Clara and her Nutcracker Prince battle larger-than-life mice alongside toy soldiers, and travel through a whirlwind of dancing snowflakes to the Land of Sweets. Greeted by the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier, Clara enjoys a suite of dances before opening her eyes to the familiar sights of her home, wondering if it was all a dream.

“Company dancers explore new interpretations of roles within this timeless ballet, and PBS students have the opportunity to perform in major venues alongside professional artists. I often wonder how many children watching the performances will be inspired by the magic and want to join the wonderful journey that this artform provides,” said Samantha Dunster, ARB’s director of artistic operations.

The orchestra for these performances is conducted by Kenneth Bean, and members of the Princeton Girlchoir are also part of the production.

The company’s production team, including Rylee Berger (production manager), Janessa Cornell Urwin (resident costume designer and wardrobe supervisor), Devon Nicole Austin (associate wardrobe supervisor), and Cheryl Mintz (production stage manager), have been working since the beginning of September to put all elements of the large scale, month-long production into place. For example, it takes over 100 hours to make one singular tutu, including hand-finishing, gluing, and sewing on around 200 Swarovski crystals.

“Every costume in this production has been carefully thought out, from the grand vision of the designs to the tiny details of the fabrics and trims in each costume piece,” said Urwin. “Every button, crystal, and sequin has been intentionally placed to provide the maximum artistic impact for both the audience and the performer. While the audience may not see many of these tiny details, the dancers wearing the costumes certainly do, and it’s so important for them to feel the character they are portraying in order for the audience to be swept away in the magic of the story.”

Performances at McCarter Theatre, 91 University Place, are Friday, November 29 at 2 and 7 p.m.; Saturday, November 30 at 1 and 6 p.m.; and Sunday, December 1 at 1 p.m. Tickets are $43-$73.
At the Two River Theater in Red Bank, shows are Saturday, December 7 at 1 and 6 p.m.; and Sunday, December 8 at 1 p.m. Tickets are $32.50-$65.

At Patriots Theater at the War Memorial in Trenton, performances are Saturday, December 14 at 1 and 5 p.m. Tickets are $15-$35.

The shows at State Theatre New Jersey, 15 Livingston Avenue in New Brunswick, are Friday, December 20 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, December 21 at 2 and 7 p.m.; and Sunday, December 22 at 1 and 5 p.m. Tickets are $29-$69.

Visit arballet.org for more information.