Butler Ballet's holiday family tradition and Indianapolis' premiere production of The Nutcracker, with live music by the Butler Ballet Orchestra and the Indianapolis Children's Choir.
Butler Ballet brings The Nutcracker back to Clowes Memorial Hall this December, running from Thursday, December 3, through Sunday, December 6. It's their holiday family tradition and Indianapolis' premiere production of the classic, and if you've never seen it, it's a good place to start.
What sets this one apart is that it's a fully staged production—the only one in Central Indiana—and the choreography comes from Butler faculty rather than a borrowed version. On stage, that translates to a full set of costumes, immersive scenery, and pyrotechnics. This year also marks the return of Mother Ginger and her whimsical Polichinelles, so there's a bit of a reunion going on in the cast.
The music is just as much a part of the show as the dancing. Tchaikovsky's score is performed live by the Butler Ballet Orchestra, and the Indianapolis Children's Choir rounds out the sound. Having the orchestra and choir right there in the room makes a difference you can feel, especially when the music is driving the action on stage.
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There are six performances over four days, so you have plenty of options to fit it in. It opens Thursday, December 3, at 7:30 PM, followed by Friday, December 4, at 8:00 PM. Saturday, December 5, has a matinee at 2:00 PM and an evening show at 8:00 PM, and Sunday, December 6, runs twice more, at 12:00 PM and 5:00 PM. If you're planning to arrive early, the Marquee Club is open with a private lounge, complimentary concessions, and an open bar before the show.
