all photos by Donna Alexander

A Behind-the-scenes look at the million dollar show

more resources

Photos: Click here to view photos.

Related Stories:

The Dancer

Bo Salling

It's a Wonderful Life

Share This:

Brief Synopsis: “The Nutcracker” tells the story of Clara, a young German girl who receives a toy Nutcracker from her godfather the night of her parents’ Christmas Eve party. Her brother, Fritz, breaks the toy in a fit of jealousy and her godfather repairs it for her while she sleeps. When Clara wakes in the middle of the night, an adventure begins with the Christmas tree that grew too tall, a Mouse King who wants to battle, and her beloved Nutcracker who came to life to defend her. The two spend Act II in the Land of the Sugar Plum Fairy where the “Sweet-zians” dance for them.

Part I - Backstage with The Nutcracker
Though the Lone Star Ballet has performed Peter Tchaikovsky’s classic holiday tale for decades, 2009 brings the third season of “The New Nutcracker,” a revamped, whimsical version complete with hand-painted sets and redesigned costumes. The first performance is tonight at 8 p.m., and we visited the cast and crew Wednesday night to watch the first dress rehearsal.

“This is a 1.3 million dollar production,” says Angela Knapp, director of marketing and development for the LSB. “It’s a lot of work, but it’s so rewarding.”

Auditions for “The Nutcracker” began the first week of September and rehearsals started mid-October with some dancers practicing seven days a week. With 151 cast members, 20 crew members and an average of 25 volunteers, many of whom are guild members and parents of academy dancers, it’s taken a colossal effort from everyone involved to pull together a performance that for so many represents the official start of Christmas. From teaching the choreography and fitting costumes, to set design and staying on schedule, “The Nutcracker” is undoubtedly the biggest show of the season.

“All of the costumes are period pieces from around the 1890s. They are tailored for each person who wears them, but they’re made to be adjusted so others can wear them later,” says Angela. “The sets should last us 20 years, but the costumes usually last 10 to 15. A typical costume can cost about $1,000.”

The majority of the costumes are made in other cities and shipped here, though that still leaves Elaine Seaton, the costume director, to fit every cast member in two months, many of whom play three and four roles.

When you enter the dressing rooms of the littlest dancers, the excitement of “The Nutcracker” is in the air. The youngest cast members are five year old, and they are quick to tell you whether they play a gum drop, a lamb, an angel or a tiny tot. Their mothers busily finish their make-up, hair and costume alterations, bringing treats and little toys to keep their sons and daughters entertained between scenes. The smallish dressing rooms are bursting with laughter, giggles and little ones wondering, “How much longer?”

“It’s so neat to see what goes on behind the scenes,” says Christalle Carlton, who has three children – Allie, 6, Trent, 8, and Madison, 10 – participating this year. “For us, this is our Christmas.”

“It is chaos, but it’s fun chaos,” adds Katherine Jennings, whose daughter, Elizabeth, 6, is dancing for the first time with LSB. Elizabeth will play a snow angel and a lamb.

For Letty Wylie, her son, C.J., 6, never expressed an interest in dancing before, but his uncle, Sean, who plays the Nutcracker, was very convincing.

“He wants to be just like Sean so we gave it a shot,” says Letty, whose family moved to Amarillo from California just six months ago. “We’ve had some really long nights, but it’s so exciting to see him. He just loves it.”

Many “Party Parents,” non-dancing roles in the beginning scene, are played by actual parents of dancers who just wanted to be a part of “The Nutcracker.” In fact, there are a number of entire families who’ve committed the last three months to the show.

The Martin family is a great example of that. Kel, 9, started with the LSB in 2008 and even danced in “The Nutcracker” last season. This year, older brother Haddon, 13, got involved, and last month, parents Doug and Shannon even started taking adult ballet and jazz classes.

“We have had so much fun, but there’ve been a lot of ‘I love you’s’ to keep us going,” says Shannon in the ladies Party Parents dressing room. “And the kids usually fall asleep on the way home.”

Next door, her husband prepares for his role as Mother Ginger, a role which is traditionally played by a man. Doug jokes that this role is really a big drag queen, adding, “It’s my one chance to let my inner woman out.” (Mother Ginger walks on stage during Act II in the Dance of the Clowns with eight tiny dancers from Cheer Texas underneath her large skirt.)

The madness and bustle of backstage quickens when cast members hear the call – “10 minutes to stage!” Time is short, and with so much preparation ahead, it takes everyone working together to get it right.

Part II
For some of the dancers, this season presents their last year of ballet in Amarillo. A handful of seniors will be leaving for college next summer, so they are making a point to cherish their last Nutcracker performance with the LSB.

“This is my 8th year doing ‘The Nutcracker,’ and it’ll be my last because I’m going away to college next year,” says Katelyn Clark, 18. “We’ve already cried about it. It’s bittersweet.”

Katelyn prepares for her role as Lead Spanish, just one of four roles she plays in the show, with her fellow dancers and friends in a make-shift dressing room behind the stage. It’s really just a long cinder-block hallway the girls decorated with Christmas lights and floor-length mirrors. Among their mess are snacks, cells phones buzzing with incoming text messages, pointe shoes, bobby pins, make-up boxes and Snuggies. It’s teenager heaven.

Around the corner the busyness continues. Young dancers are pulling on tights and toe guards, talking about what fits and what doesn’t, who needs help and who has something to eat. Quietly, Savannah Gifford, a Randall County Sophomore, reads in a folding chair while she waits to be called on stage.

“I’ve been dancing since Kindergarten,” she says in a gentle voice, looking up with a smile. She may not be the most boisterous of the bunch, but by the look on her face, she is every bit as excited.

The dress rehearsal begins with the Party Scene, a Christmas Eve party hosted by lead character Clara’s parents. The mysterious godfather, Herr Drosselmeyer, presents her with The Nutcracker and dance breaks out with all the children and their new dolls.

From stage left, production appears flawless. Crew members adjust the spotlights and change out props as needed. Dancers weave in and out of the curtains in seamless flow with the music. The audience, which is made up of Vicki McLean, the director of dance, Vido Rhodes, the production manager, and an assembly of parents, volunteers and other LSB staff, looks on, making corrections when needed and keeping time with the orchestra.

Walking down the long corridor directly behind the stage, Angela is quick to point out: “If anyone yells, ‘Clear!’ in the hallway, just hug the wall.” As if on cue, a troupe of dancers come running our way, the first one yelling, “Clear! Clear!” and we plastered our backs against the cold cinder block wall.

From the front of house, the scenes carried on in rehearsal. Amarillo Symphony Orchestra Conductor Kimbo Ishii-Eto is a bundle of energy, yelling from the pit, “Fast! Here!” pointing to one section. “Yes!” He appears to watch each section, the sheets of music, and the dancers simultaneously, taking brief moments to check in with Vicki behind him and asking the dancers, “That’s good?”

The music is a show in itself with more than 50 in the pit pounding out the traditional, comforting pieces that so many believe to be the true sounds of Christmas. Most recognizable, perhaps, is the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.

As rehearsal went on, the littlest dancers began a series of yawning and mild fidgeting on stage. It’s a late night, nearing 9 p.m., and the second act is only half over. Yet, it’s clear the commitment and passion is there, in the young and the not-so-young alike. Nearly four months of work will be poured into five performances, and if the dress rehearsal is any indication of what ballet-goers will experience this weekend, surely, they will not be disappointed.

Visit the Lone Star Ballet for more information.

by Jennie Treadway-Miller

Jennie was a columnist for the Chattanooga Times Free Press for eight years prior to moving to Amarillo in 2008. She is an avid reader, runner and writer.