PNB's Nutcracker a Fine Seattle Holiday Tradition, to be Sure
Nutcracker season is again upon us. It’s a Christmas tradition for many, and the Pacific Northwest Ballet production--even with forty-five performances this season--is always well attended. The cherished fairy tale of Clara and her Nutcracker has a plot so familiar to audiences that there is simply a large-scale passive acceptance when hordes of mice suddenly start romping around the Stahlbaum living room (more on that later).
We are always surprised at how many Seattleites don’t know that PNB’s Nutcracker is the sole purveyor of sets and costumes designed by one Maurice Sendak, a name that carries a bit more weight in pop culture now thanks to the Where the Wild Things Are feeding frenzy earlier this year. Last year PNB celebrated the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Sendak/Kent Stowell premiere in 1983 and staged the show’s 1,000th performance, rivaled in American ballet only by New York City Ballet’s 1954 Balanchine production.
Auditions in September pull in almost 200 local ballet students to perform alongside PNB dancers. We were very impressed with little Lindsey Pool as Clara (in the December 4th performance), whose expressiveness honestly rivaled that of the professionals onstage that night. The family-friendly show usually sets little girls to twirling in the lobby; we always recommend Nutcracker as a great gateway drug into the world of ballet. But the star of the show has to be Sendak’s sets. PNB’s production is like a living storybook, with lavishly illustrated screens practically dripping from the sides and ceiling of the stage. We especially loved the two-dimensional boat ride into the Land of Sweets. Overall, Nutcracker is a lovely holiday treat for most, and a must-see for Sendak fans.
Let’s be frank: as is the case with most ballet companies, Nutcracker is PNB’s cash cow, bringing in a large chunk of annual revenue. "The revenue earned from Nutcracker provides the financial foundation PNB requires to present other repertory programs and to make our community outreach efforts possible season after season," says Aya Hamilton, PNB Board of Trustees President. So it’s unfortunate that the production’s silver anniversary last year saw half a million dollars in lost revenue as a result of our city’s bungled snow clean-up efforts. We are happy to see that the company seems to be recovering nicely from that and this year’s economic slump, with plenty of new work in the hopper and a 2009 Stranger Genius Award to hang over the mantle.
Back to that comment about the Nutcracker’s plot points. We highly recommend picking up a copy of the original E.T.A. Hoffman tale, particularly the one introduced and illustrated by Sendak. The charming tale gives personality and depth to the staged story, explaining the history of Princess Pirlipat, the Krakatuk nut, and the Mouse King’s deadly rival with the nephew of a clockmaker. Essential for anyone’s hip holiday collection, along with David Sedaris’ Holidays on Ice and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson.
Through December 30, 2009 // 15% discount on select performances. Purchase tickets online or call 206.441.2424 and use savings code "MOUSE."
