Westmoreland talent fills out Laurel Ballet's annual 'Nutcracker' production

Although “The Nutcracker” is perfect family Christmas entertainment, surprisingly it was not a hit when it was first performed in Russia in 1892.

But when it did finally catch on more than 50 years ago, it quickly became a ubiquitous part of the holiday season. It’s now the most frequently-seen ballet every year.

Laurel Ballet will give three performances of “The Nutcracker” with the Westmoreland Symphony conducted by Walter Morales on Dec. 14 and 15 in Greensburg’s Palace Theatre.

The ballet is set on Christmas Eve and begins at home at a party for extended family and friends. The protagonist is named either Clara or Marie, depending on the German or French literary sources for the story. She’s a girl on the verge of being a young woman.

Among the guests are her uncle Drosselmeyer, who performs magic and brings magical gifts. His present for her is a Nutcracker doll. After everyone is asleep, there is a magical battle in the living room between toy soldiers that come to life and rodents, which is won by the Nutcracker. He turns into a Cavalier and together he and Marie or Clara travel to the “Land of Enchantment,” where they are treated to a royal entertainment of dancing in many styles performed in their honor.

The Laurel Ballet’s production of “The Nutcracker” takes place in America rather the original Russian setting, and is the only one in Western Pennsylvania to have a live orchestral performance of Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s music. Greensburg resident John Noble will portray Drosselmeyer, celebrating the 25th anniversary of his inaugural performance with the Laurel Ballet in 1994.

The production features a host of local performers.

Sharing the leading role of Clara are eighth-grader Juliana Matteo, a Penn-Trafford student, Alaina Nuzzo of Delmont, a freshman at Oakland Catholic, and Arielle Teppert, a freshman at Greater Latrobe Senior High School.

Mother of Sorrows School sixth-grader Charleston DeGroot will be dancing the Arabian and angel solos. Clara Holt of Murrysville, a fourth-grader at Trinity Christian School, will be dancing in her first solo roles as Jack Frost and Mistress Mary Quite Contrary. Her sister Ellen, a first-grader, will play a mischievous mouse during the fight scene, which also features a growing Christmas tree and a live-action sword fight between two fencing masters.

Performing in their first Nutcrackers are Charlie Sheehy of Export and Cricket Tatone of Delmont. Charlie will play a little boy and soldier and Cricket will be dancing as a rat.

Tickets start at $14 and parking is free. To purchase tickets, visit ThePalaceTheatre.org.