A roundup of some metro area “Nutcracker” productions:
Academy of Ballet. "The Children's Nutcracker." Dec. 17 at 11 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.; and Dec. 18 at 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. at St. Pius X High School, 2674 Johnson Road N.E., Atlanta. $15-$25. tututix.com.
Atlanta Ballet. "Nutcracker." Dec. 9-24. Times vary depending on the day, but generally are either 2 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. Adults $21.50-$124.50, students $16.50-$95.50. Fox Theatre, 660 Peachtree St. N.E., Atlanta. 855-285-8499, atlantaballet.com.
Atlanta Dance Theatre. Dec. 9, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 10, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 11, 2 p.m. Adults $23.50, students and senior citizens $15.50. Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forrest St., Roswell. adtshows.com.
Ballethnic Dance Company. "Urban Nutcracker." Nov. 18 at 8 p.m., Nov. 19 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. $30-$40. Riverside EpiCenter, 135 Riverside Parkway, Austell. (404) 762-1416. www.ballethnic.org.
Fleetwood Dance Theatre. "The Nutcracker" Dec. 9 at 8 p.m., Dec. 10 at 11 a.m. 3 and 8 p.m., Dec. 11 at 2:30 p.m. $20 in advance, $22 at the door. Blessed Trinity Performing Arts Center, 11320 Woodstock Road, Roswell. For more information, Call Kim at 404-309-7735 or email: fdtickets@bellsouth.net.
The Georgia Ballet. "The Nutcracker 2016." Dec. 2 at 8 p.m., Dec. 3 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., Dec. 4 at 2 p.m and 5:30 p.m. $30-$50. Jennie T. Anderson Theatre, Cobb Civic Center, 548 S. Marietta Parkway S.E., Marietta. 770-528-8490, georgiaballet.org.
Gwinnett Ballet Theatre. "The Nutcracker." Multiple performances, Dec. 2-18 Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Two Sensory Friendly performances, Dec. 2 and 9 at 11:45 a.m. will be offered for audience members with autism, brain injury, and differing abilities. $18-$35. Infinite Energy Center, 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth. 770-626-2464, infiniteenergycenter.com.
Metropolitan Ballet Theatre. "Nutcracker." Dec. 16 at 7:30 p.m., Dec 17 at 2 p.m and 7p.m., Dec. 18 at 2 p.m., $20-$25. Blessed Trinity Catholic High School Theater, 11320 Woodstock Road, Roswell, (770) 772-8000. metropolitanballet.org.
Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker. Dec. 9 at 7 p.m., Dec. 10 at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., $28-$175.
Rialto Center for the Arts at Georgia State University, 80 Forsyth St, NW, Atlanta. 800-320-1733, rialtocenter.org.
New Jersey Performing Arts Center. "Hip Hop Nutcracker" It's the same old "Nutcracker," it just happens to be set in 1980s Brooklyn. Nov. 27, 6:30 p.m. $22-$72. Fox Theatre, 660 Peachtree Street NE Atlanta. (404) 881-2100, foxtheatre.org.
North Atlanta Dance Theatre. "The Nutcracker." Dec. 2 at 7:30 p.m., Dec. 3 at 2:30 p. m. and 7:30 p.m., Dec 4 at 2:30 p.m. $19-$25. Blessed Trinity Fine Arts Theater, 11320 Woodstock Road, Roswell. Tickets available at 24208.recitalticketing.com.
Roswell Dance Theatre. "The Nutcracker." Nov. 25- Dec .3 Times vary. $10-$55. Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forrest St., Roswell. 770-594-6232, tysod.com.
Sugarloaf Ballet. "Nutcracker Excerpts." Dec. 7, 7:30 p.m. $12-$15. Infinite Energy Center, 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth. 770-626-2464, infiniteenergycenter.com.
It’s “Nutcracker” season, time to deck the stage with toys that spring to life, a Christmas tree that triples its height, bushels of snow and giant lollipops. Productions across the metro area are bringing diminutive party guests, large rodents and dancing snowflakes to a theater near you.
Since the mid-1950s, “The Nutcracker” has become an American holiday tradition, serving as an audience builder, revenue-generator and student motivator for ballet companies and schools across the country. Infinitely varied interpretations abound, from a Southwestern version in Arizona to a nautical “Nutcracker” in Connecticut.
Atlanta Ballet’s large-scale, Russian-themed “Nutcracker” inhabits the Fox Theatre every year around this time, a magnet for audiences across the city. But community “Nutcrackers” appear in venues stretching from Austell to Duluth. It’s a striking phenomenon that these smaller productions successfully compete with the giant downtown.
Most “Nutcrackers” in suburban centers are more affordable and accessible to people in surrounding communities. Smaller theaters give an intimacy the 4,680-seat Fox doesn’t necessarily provide. And each program offers something unique — a special draw or expression of identity that reminds us that, if you’ve seen one, you haven’t seen them all.
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