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Author
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Comment
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Kerrie
Registered User
(12/17/05 9:25 am)
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Winter Performance Ideas: Nutcracker-based?
Hello all! Sorry it's been so long!
I recently attended a performance called Welcome Yule in Turners Falls, celebrating winter with songs and stories; in eastern MA, there is The Christmas Revels (FYI, John Langstaff, the founder of Revels, Inc. just died earlier this week); in East Vancouver there is the Winter Solstice Lantern Festival; in many cities, there's A Christmas Carol and The Nutcracker.
Now, some of you know, from previous years' postings, that I love the tale of The Nutcracker and the Mouseking, in all forms. I was toying around with the idea of taking this wonderful tale and adapting it to different themes, to create an annual winter performance, one that includes song, story, dance, etc. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? I'd love to at least see the original story made into a stage play, instead of just the ballet versions most have seen.
Miss you all!
Forest frosts and sugarplum dreams,
Kerrie
Links to some of the above-mentions performances, for those interested:
www.welcomeyule.org/
www.revels.org/
www.secretlantern.org/index.html
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Writerpatrick
Registered
User
(12/17/05 11:11 am)
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Re: Winter Performance Ideas: Nutcracker-based?
I think the Nutcracker and Christmas Carol are overused. Aside from the ballet, there's a few animated versions of Nutcracker (including one with Barbie). What might be more interesting is a sequel story of what happens afterwards, or a postmodern approach of a story set 20 later with a new character, say the daughter of the couple.
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Kerrie
Registered User
(12/17/05 4:18 pm)
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Re: Winter Performance Ideas: Nutcracker-based?
To clarify my Nutcracker background, I have seen the Bejart, Balanchine, Baryshnikov, Barbie, Nuttiest, Boston Ballet, RI Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, N. on Ice, Minnie Mouse, and N. Prince versions, and own a few of them myself on video or DVD, as well as a few audio recordings. I've also written several poems "inspired" by the tale and ballet, and am at work on a novel adaptation.
In short, I have loved this tale since I was about two-years-old. You might call it my hobby, or an obsession.
I was just thinking a stage performance that is *not* the ballet might be refreshing to some. Either in it's original form, or some other cultural reference, but nothing too cartoony. While children would be part of the (literal) audience, they would not be the sole audience. Does this help?
Kerrie
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dlee10
Registered
User
(12/17/05 7:32 pm)
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Re: Winter Performance Ideas: Nutcracker-based?
The Paramont Theater in Peekskill, NY does a "Jazz Nutcracker" every year. The music is fast paced and the dance is more tap than jazz. It is wonderful and really holds the audience's (mine at least!) attention.
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