The Nutcracker

Each year, The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory is proud to present The Nutcracker Thanksgiving weekend.

If you have any questions, please contact Maria, Company Manager at [email protected].

FAQs

Why do I have to pay a Production Fee?  

This fee covers participation, costume usage, dry cleaning, and includes online access to the performance recording. 

My child has auditioned for the Nutcracker, has been accepted, but would like to decline her participation/role.  Is there a penalty?  Yes, there is a penalty, as finding a replacement for your child takes valuable time away from the production. If the role is rejected, your child will not be able to audition for The Nutcracker for the following season.   

What do you mean when you say Act 1 and Act 2? The Nutcracker is divided into two acts.
Act 1 includes:

1. Prologue
o Clara
o Clara’s dad
o Military Family
o Cake Family
o Troublemakers
o Choir
o Chestnut Girl
o Drosselmeyer
o Mini Rat Queen
o Mini Nutcracker
o Kissy Doll
o Soldier Doll

2. Party Scene; dancers in this scene include:
o Party Children
o Party Parents
o Clara
o Fritz
o Maids
o Drosselmeyer

3. Battle Scene; dancers in this scene include:
o Mice
o Rats
o Soldiers
o Mini Nutcracker and Mini Rat Queen
o Nutcracker Prince
o Rat Queen
o Clara and Drosselmeyer

4. Snow Scene; dancers in the scene include
o Reindeer
o Snow Queen and King
o Snowflake Corps de Ballet
o Clara
o Nutcracker Prince

Act 2 dancers include
Reindeer, Polichinelles, Black and White Sheep, Arabian Attendants, Clara, Nutcracker Prince, Sugar Plum Fairy and Cavalier, Spanish Couple, Chinese and Chinese Corps, Arabian Princess, Russian Dancers, Dew Drop Fairy, Flower Corps de Ballet, Mother Ginger and Shepherdess.  

What do you mean when you say Red Cast and Blue Cast?  We double cast some roles to help in the case of dancer fatigue, illness, or injury.  It also gives students a chance to expand their skills.  Both casts will rehearse at the same time during the Saturday rehearsals and will take turns “running” the choreography during rehearsals.  Both casts are expected at Block and Tech and for their designated dress rehearsals and performances. If a student cannot perform due to illness or injury, it is expected that the alternate cast member will step in for that performance.

What happens if my child is Red Cast and falls ill on performance night, what happens to her role? In this case we would have the dancers who play him/her opposite in Blue Cast dance for him/her.  We also assign understudies to most roles, especially to the soloist and principal roles, which are double cast. We cannot guarantee they would be able to fully switch and perform on a Blue Cast night; if that student has family in the audience on a night they would typically perform, they would perform both shows.

What does it mean to understudy a role? In the theater, a person who learns another’s role in order to be able to dance as a replacement at short notice is an understudy. Understudies attend all rehearsals pertaining to their role.  They will have a chance to run the choreography during rehearsals.   

Does the understudy automatically receive the role for the next season? No.  Each year brings something different and new.  Last year’s understudies do not get special treatment.

When do parents find out their Parent Volunteer assignments?  It depends on the volunteer duty you assign yourself for.  Backstage crew will be notified by the Committee lead about one month before the performance. The Merchandise Committee will be notified  about two months before and the Child Wrangling and Wardrobe will be notified approximately 2 weeks before Tech/Production Week, or around the time of fittings.

If I am not volunteering can I wait with my child backstage?  No, there will be many volunteers acting as chaperones for the students in the cast of The Nutcracker. Dancers will be sharing dressing rooms, so there will be plenty of people to keep them company!  Please drop your child off in the Conservatory lobby and let the chaperone know if there is anything she should know or be aware of.   

How does it work regarding volunteering and watching students perform?  Usually a parent volunteers for one or two shows.  At that time, they do not watch the show.