Weekend at a Glance: Atlanta Ballet's Nutcracker #100
On Christmas Eve, I had the opportunity to see Atlanta Ballet's Nutcracker. Although I've seen this show over five years ago, this particular production was like none other. There is only one word I can think of to describe the show and that is MAGICAL.
By intermission, I was scrambling to read the synopsis to make sure I was watching the right show. It was nothing like I remembered. Honestly, I don't remember laughing in other renditions of this performance. From the lively giant rats to the super talented kids, I thoroughly enjoyed the ballet. Definitely something entertaining for both children and adults alike.
In 1995, Atlanta Ballet’s third and current artistic director, John McFall, created a brand new Nutcracker for the city of Atlanta. McFall’s vision was to create a Nutcracker that was “traditional yet new, familiar yet different, classic yet contemporary and above all, magical.” Every year since then McFall has added a special touch to the production in an effort to keep it vibrant and fresh.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention how surprised I was to see a young Black dancer named Kiara Felder playing the lead role as Marya. I kept thinking to myself, "Oh my God, she's Princess Tiana live!" She did amazingly well and I was so proud!They pulled out all of the stops for the production, now in its 55th year. As a visual person, the set up matters just as much as the actual performance. More than 8 tons of scenery, lighting, and props are used in each Nutcracker production. That's 300,000 watts of electricity used per performance, more than enough to light a stadium! Oh, and 20 pounds of snow sprinkled throughout the theatre. I definitely felt like I was a part of a fairy tale.I could go on and on about how wonderful this performance was but I don't want to give everything away. The Atlanta Ballet's Nutcracker has been running since December 11th and will run its last show of the season this Sunday. Tickets start as low as $20 and available in person at the Fox Theatre box office.