NUTCRACKER ~ December 18-21, 2025
Featuring the Kenwood Symphony Orchestra on December 20-21
ACT I
Scene 1 Drosselmeyer's nephew is attending the holiday celebration, a shy and awkward young man not able to fit in or manage to dance with the other cousins and party guests. Marie and the young boy have a brief encounter after he has fallen clumsily to the ground attempting to join in the merriment. Marie dreams she is at a holiday party where Herr Drosselmeyer presents a variety of dolls for holiday guests and all partake in dances. Marie is taken in by the enchanted toys and especially by the Nutcracker Doll. Marie begins to play with the doll and one of the cousins breaks it.
Scene 2 After the guests leave Marie returns to the living room looking for her Nutcracker Doll and starts to see little mice that have grown life size and is then captured by giant rats. The Nutcracker Doll grows to life size and then engages in a battle that leaves the Nutcracker Prince killed in battle.
Scene 3 Marie finds the prince left for dead however, by the Sugarplum Fairy, brings him to life as a handsome prince! They dance a lovely duet that ends with a grand waltz of snowflakes. Marie and the Prince depart on a horse drawn sleigh to the Land of Marzipan Sweets.
~ Intermission (15 Minutes) ~
ACT II
Scene 1 Marie and the Prince arrive in the Land of Marzipan Sweets and watch fanciful dances and characters including, Chocolate, Coffee, Tea, Cookies, Trapek, Merlitons, Ms Ginger's Cookies, and the Waltz of the Flowers. They join in for the final dance with the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier.
Scene 2 Marie awakens by the Christmas tree after having a wondrous dream fantasizing about the young prince and the Land of Marzipan Sweets. The young boy returns to offer her a gift, which makes us wonder was it really a dream or has she, really met her prince?
ARTISTIC STAFF
Metropolitan Ballet Founder & Artistic Director: Erik J. Sanborn
Metropolitan Ballet Assistant Director: Karena Casey
Composer: Tchaikovsky
Choreography: Erik J. Sanborn
Lighting, Sets & Costumes: Erik J. Sanborn
Costumer: Thereasa Bremer
Stage Manager: Dylan Stover
CAST
Nutcracker Prince: Isaac Egerer/ Konstantine Pirpiridis
Marie: Talia DeLeo
Sugar Plum Fairy: Vivian Hodges/ Lili Pfeifer/ Amy Pennaz
Sugar Plum Cavalier: Erik J Sanborn
Rat King: Becca Hunkins and Erik J Sanborn
Father Stahlbaum: Mark Ratcliffe
Mother Stahlbaum: Karena Casey
Herr Drosselmeyer: Erik J Sanborn
Drosselmeyer’s Nephew: Isaac Egerer/ Konstantine Pirpiridis
Fritz: Alexander Bremer
COUSINS Hannah Bunker, Dora Ciacca, Ludamilla Dorfman, Alarica Hassett, Sarah Weber, Andrea Gonzales, Kylie Griffiths, Hanna Hayashi, Brenna Friesen, Violet Wilson, Evelina Pirpiridis YOUNG COUSINS Aurelia Bremer, Josephine Carlisle, Louisa Kang, Annabelle Ratcliffe, Ayana Schmidt, Maria Stathopoulos, Lexi Stathopoulos, Summer Vickerman, Bella Zimmerman
BUTLER Kurt Green MAIDS Brenda Bird, Nikki Springer
MARCH MILITAIRE Lily-Anna Crocker, Rachael Jungmann, Kiera Friesen, Ayana Schmidt, Louisa Kang, Zoey Schelitzche, Sarah St. Cyr
BALLERINA DOLL Brenna Friesen/ Violet Wilson FRENCH DOLLS Lily-Anna Crocker, Rachel Jungmann MECHANICAL SOLDIER Kiera Friesen RAT DOLL Kylie Griffiths
HARLEQUIN Soloists: Ayana Schmidt, Louisa Kang; Corp: Aurelia Bremer, Josephine Carlisle, Summer Vickerman, Annabelle Ratcliffe, Bella Zimmerman, Maria Stathopoulos, Lexi Stathopoulos
MICE Alexander Bremer, Elaina Hanson, Penelope Gephart, Josephine Carlisle, Bella Zimmerman, Lexi Stathopoulos, Maria Stathopoulos THREE BLIND MICE Aurelia Bremer, Annabelle Ratcliffe, Summer Vickerman
RATS Brenda Bird, Lily-Anna Crocker, Ludmilla Dorfman, Kiera Friesen, Andrea Gonzales, Kylie Griffiths, Alarica Hassett, Hanna Hayashi, Rachel Jungmann, Sarah St. Cyr, Zoey Schelitzche, Sarah Weber
SOLDIERS Captains: Ayana Schmidt, Louisa Kang, Eva Pirpiridis; Corp: Alexander Bremer, Aurelia Bremer, Josephine Carlisle, Elaina Hanson, Penelope Gephart, Annabelle Ratcliffe, , Maria Stathopoulos, Lexi Stathopoulos, Maria Stathopoulos, Lexi Stathopoulos, Summer Vickerman, Bella Zimmerman,
SNOW Queen: Brenna Friesen/ Violet Wilson; Demi soloists: Hannah Bunker, Lily-Anna Crocker; Corp: Karena Casey, Dora Ciacca, Lily-Anna Crocker, Ludamilla Dorfman, Kiera Friesen, Andrea Gonzales, Kylie Griffiths, Alarica Hassett, Hanna Hayashi, Rachel Jungmann, Sarah Weber, Brenna Friesen or Violet Wilson
HORSES Alexander Bremer,…….HERALDS Alexander Bremer, Kurt Green
CHOCOLATE Andrea Gonzales, Kylie Griffiths, Hanna Hayashi or Ludamilla Dorfman, Sarah St. Cyr, Zoey Schelitzche
COFFEE Solists: Brenna Friesen, Hannah Bunker, Matt Halpaus; Sultan and wife: Mark Ratcliffe, Nikki Springer; Corp: Karena Casey, Rachel Jungmann, Sarah Weber, Kiera Friesen, Lily-Anna Crocker, Alarica Hassett; Boy: Alexander Bremer
TEA Soloists: Violet Wilson, Isaac Egerer or Konstantine Pirpiridis; Corp: Ayana Schmidt, Louisa Kang, Evelina Pirpiridis, Aurelia Bremer, Josephine Carlisle, Yitsira Springer, Miles Springer, Maria Stathopoulos, Lexi Stathopoulos, Summer Vickerman, Annabelle Ratcliffe, Bella Zimmerman
TRAPEK Soloist: Kylie Griffiths ; Corp: Brenda Bird, Ludamilla Dorfman, Sarah Weber, Aurelia Bremer
MERLITONS Dora Ciacca, Alarica Hassett, Isaac Egerer or Konstantine Pirpiridis
MS GINGER Kylie Griffiths COOKIES Aurelia Bremer, Josephine Carlisle, Summer Vickerman, Annabelle Ratcliffe, Bella Zimmerman, Maria Stathopoulos, Alexander Bremer, Lexi Stathopoulos GINGERBREAD BOY Alexander Bremer
BAKERS Ayana Schmidt, Louisa Kang, Andrea Gonzales, Kylie Griffiths, Hanna Hayashi, Sarah St. Cyr, Zoey Schelitzche, Evelina Pirpiridis; KITCHEN HELPERS Mark Ratcliffe, Kurt Greene, Brenda Bird, Yitsira Springer, Miles Springer
WALTZ OF THE FLOWERS Soloist: Lili Pfeifer or Vivian Hodges; Corp: Hannah Bunker, Karena Casey, Dora Ciacca, Lily-Anna Crocker, Ludamilla Dorfman, Brenna Friesen, Kiera Friesen, Kylie Griffiths, Alarica Hassett, Hanna Hayashi, Rachel Jungmann, Sarah Weber, Violet Wilson, Sarah St. Cyr, Andrea Gonzales
KENWOOD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
METROPOLITAN BALLET is a Twin Cities organization founded in 1998 by Artistic Director/Producer Erik J Sanborn with a mission of uniting the communities of dance, music and theater. The Ballet Company focuses on staging high impact works with an emphasis on accessibility, diversity and affordability. Learn more at metroballet.org