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: Matthew Halpaus
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, Brenna Friesen, Alarica Hassett, Kylie Griffiths, Alarica Hassett, Hanna Hayashi, Evelina Pirpiridis, Sarah Weber, Violet Wilson
YOUNG COUSINS Aurelia Bremer, Josephine Carlisle, Louisa Kang, Annabelle Ratcliffe, Ayana Schmidt, Lexi Stathopoulos, Maria Stathopoulos, Summer Vickerman, Bella Zimmerman
BUTLER Kurt Green MAIDS Brenda Bird, Nikki Springer
MARCH MILITAIRE Lily-Anna Crocker, Rachael Jungmann, Kiera Friesen, Andrea Gonzales, Louisa Kang, Sarah St. Cyr, Zoey Schelitzche, Ayana Schmidt
BALLERINA DOLL Brenna Friesen or 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,Annabelle Ratcliffe, Lexi Stathopoulos, Maria Stathopoulos, Summer Vickerman, Bella Zimmerman
MICE Alexander Bremer, Penelope Gephart, Elaina Hanson, Lexi Stathopoulos, Maria Stathopoulos, Bella Zimmerman THREE BLIND MICE Aurelia Bremer, Annabelle Ratcliffe, Summer Vickerman FAT MOUSE Josephine Carlisle
RATS Brenda Bird, Dora Ciacca, 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, Penelope Gephart, Elaina Hanson, Annabelle Ratcliffe, Yitsira Springer, Miles Springer, Lexi Stathopoulos, Maria Stathopoulos, Summer Vickerman, Bella Zimmerman
SNOW Queen: Brenna Friesen or 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, Violet Wilson
LITTLE HORSE Alexander Bremer HERALDS Brenda Bird, Alexander Bremer, Kurt Green
CHOCOLATE Andrea Gonzales, Kylie Griffiths, Hanna Hayashi or Ludamilla Dorfman, Sarah St. Cyr, Zoey Schelitzche
COFFEE Solists: Hannah Bunker, Brenna Friesen, Matt Halpaus; Sultan and Wife: Mark Ratcliffe, Nikki Springer; Corp: Karena Casey, Lily-Anna Crocker, Kiera Friesen, Alarica Hassett, Rachel Jungmann, Sarah Weber; Boy: Alexander Bremer
TEA Soloists: Violet Wilson, Isaac Egerer or Konstantine Pirpiridis; Corp: Josephine Carlisle, Louisa Kang, Evelina Pirpiridis, Annabelle Ratcliffe, Ayana Schmidt, Yitsira Springer, Miles Springer, Lexi Stathopoulos, Maria Stathopoulos, , Summer Vickerman, Bella Zimmerman
TRAPEK Soloist: Kylie Griffiths; Corp: Brenda Bird, Aurelia Bremer, Ludamilla Dorfman, Sarah Weber
MERLITONS Dora Ciacca, Alarica Hassett, Isaac Egerer or Konstantine Pirpiridis
MS GINGER Kylie Griffiths JOE COOL Konstantine Pirpiridis COOKIES Aurelia Bremer, Josephine Carlisle, Penelope Gephart, Elaina Hanson, Annabelle Ratcliffe, Lexi Stathopoulos, Maria Stathopoulos, Summer Vickerman, Bella Zimmerman GINGERBREAD BOY Alexander Bremer
BAKERS Andrea Gonzales, Kylie Griffiths, Hanna Hayashi, Louisa Kang, Evelina Pirpiridis, Sarah St. Cyr, Nikki Springer, Yitsira Springer, Miles Springer, Ayana Schmidt, Zoey Schelitzche KITCHEN CREW Brenda Bird, Kurt Greene, Mark Ratcliffe,
WALTZ OF THE FLOWERS Soloist: Vivian Hodges or Lili Pfeifer; Corp: Hannah Bunker, Karena Casey, Dora Ciacca, Lily-Anna Crocker, Ludamilla Dorfman, Brenna Friesen, Kiera Friesen, Andrea Gonzales, Kylie Griffiths, Alarica Hassett, Hanna Hayashi, Rachel Jungmann, Sarah St. Cyr, Sarah Weber, Violet Wilson
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