The holidays are just around the corner, and it’s time to start planning how to make the most of the year’s most festive season. Your holiday fun list should include experiencing an extraordinary performance of dancing and music that has become the star of Winston-Salem’s holiday traditions: UNCSA’s annual production of The Nutcracker !
Presented by the UNCSA schools of Dance, Design and Production, and Music with support from Wells Fargo, Tchaikovsky’s beloved ballet opens at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, December 13th. This year’s calendar includes new options, with family-friendly times on Saturday, December 14th at noon and 5:30 p.m. Additional performances are at 2 p.m. on Sunday, December 15th, and on Saturday and Sunday, December 21st and 22nd; and at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday, December 18th through 21st.
The UNCSA acclaimed production of The Nutcracker will feature a total of ten performances, December 13th through 22nd, at the Stevens Center in downtown Winston-Salem. The heralded ballet has received rave reviews from critics and enthusiastic audiences since the reimagining of the production by former Dean of the UNC School of the Arts’ School of Dance Ethan Stiefel.
“Our Saturday matinee performances, which traditionally have been at 2 o’clock, are always popular with families. However, this year, we’re moving our Saturday, December 14th performances to noon and 5:30 p.m. to give families greater flexibility in terms of nap time and bedtime,” said Claire Machamer, Vice Chancellor for Strategic Communications. “We hope to see the Stevens Center filled with excited families for all of our Nutcracker performances, but especially for our two December 14th performances.”
Assistant Dean of Ballet Jared Redick directs The Nutcracker with original staging and direction by former Dean of Dance Ethan Stiefel. Highlighting this year’s Nutcracker is celebrated guest conductor Karin Hendrickson, who also conducted last year’s monumental production of Leonard Bernstein’s Mass at UNCSA.
“Local audiences were awed by Karin Hendrickson’s vibrant conducting last year in our production of Mass, and they will be delighted this year as she leads the Nutcracker Orchestra in performing Tchaikovsky’s iconic score,” said Interim Chancellor Brian Cole.
For the best deal in town, take advantage of the great prices on The Nutcracker “Family Four Pack” for the evening performances on Thursday and Friday, December 19th and 20th. Family Four Pack tickets are only $148 for Orchestra Side/Front Balcony and $110 for Center Balcony. The “Family Four Pack” offer is subject to availability.
Individual ticket prices vary by seat location, starting at $24 for children 13 and under and $29 for adults. Tickets to The Nutcracker are now on sale at the Stevens Center box office, by calling (336) 721-1945, or online at uncsa.edu/nutcracker.
