Orange County Ballet Theatre is set to give performances of its treasured "Nutcracker" for the 44th year on December 3rd and 4th at Monroe-Woodbury High School. This full-length ballet tells the traditional story of Clara receiving a prized nutcracker from her godfather, the mysterious toymaker Dr. Drosselmeyer at her family’s annual Christmas party. After awaking to find her nutcracker is life-sized, Clara is led by her Nutcracker Prince on a magical journey first through a battle of toy soldiers and mice, next through beautiful snowy woods and finally to the Land of Sweets where angels, marzipan and other sweets await.
Dancing with the Orange County Ballet Theatre in this year’s performances of "The Nutcracker" is Kristina McKenzie as Clara, Kristina McKenzie is 11 yrs old and a 6th grade accelerated student at South Middle School in Newburgh. She started dancing at age 4. Kristina currently dance with the Darlene Wilson Institute of Dance and is a Jr Member of the Orange County Ballet Theatre. She proudly plays "CLARA" for the 3rd consecutive year in the 44th full running of the Nutcracker. Her sister Kathryn also plays "Dewdrop". Left to right, Kathryn McKenzie as the Dew Drop Fairy, Brianna Levy as the Sugar Plum Fairy and Montana Nogrady as the Snow Queen.
OCBT’s leads tell a family story. Sugar Plum Brianna’s older and younger sisters danced and dance in the company. Montana Nogrady’s mother Veronica Nogrady is a former OCBT dancer. Kathryn and Kristina are, of course, sisters!
Dr. Drosselmeyer is played by Raymond LeDuc who celebrates his 40th anniversary in the part he first played as a 28-year-old young man in 1971.
Would you like to see a ferocious battle of mice and soldiers? Watch little bon bons scamper out from under Mother Ginger‘s skirt? Get you and your family in the holiday spirit? Come to Orange County Ballet Theatre’s performances on Saturday, December 3, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, December 4, 2011 at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are available at www.theocbt.org (click tickets) and at the door. Tickets are $15 per person. Call 562-6750 with any questions.
