By: Lani Hansen, Senior Reporter
TULSA, Oklahoma– The Coronavirus has made many events get cancelled this year, but the Tulsa Ballet has made a way for those who enjoy watching shows such as The Nutcracker continue on with practicing social distance.
The Tulsa Ballet will perform a holiday showing, but it will not be same Nutcracker performance many have seen in the past. Artistic Director Marcello Angelini, has said they have replaced the holiday-favorite The Nutcracker with The Lost Nutcracker.
The show will be performed at the Cox Business Convention Center’s Grand Ballroom. To practice social distance they are allowing 400 audience members at each show. According to Tulsa Ballet press release, the ballet has decided to find a more socially distanced way to bring a version of the holiday tradition to the stage, this year at a new location with extra spacing for guests.
“The normal Nutcracker runs about 10 to 11 shows at the PAC,” Angelini said. “We usually seat about 5,488 people, but we will now be seating about 400 people.”
The Lost Nutracker will have five performances running from December 17 through December 20. On Dec. 17 and 18 there will be one show each evening at 7 p.m. on Sat. Dec. 19 there are two shows at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sun. Dec. 20 the last show will be at 2 p.m.
“The Lost Nucracker is brand new, we called it this because we actually lost The Nutcracker this year,” Angelini said. “Everything is choreographed around the COVID-19 rules and regulations.”
They are not allowing any more than eight dancers to a scene for this showing. It will still be a holiday magic performance, according to Angelini. The new show will be composed into three different pieces.
The first part is choreographed by Tulsa Ballet Resident Ma Cong, with an act of American music. The middle piece is choreographed by Joshua Peug and the third piece is choreographed by Luciano Cannito.
“The third piece is actually called The Lost Nutcracker,” Angelini added.
According to Angelini, during the last piece it will begin with three young ladies who are playing with the nutcracker doll but then the doll disappears. They will be looking for the nutcracker in three different worlds. The first world will be the swan lake world, the second world will be the sleeping beauty world and the third world will be the Feliz Navidad.
Tickets will be sold for virtual live stream for those guests who are not comfortable attending the in-person performances and for any sold-out shows. To purchase tickets call the Tulsa Ballet Box Office at 918-749-6006 or visit www.tulsaballet.org
For more information visit www.tulsaballet.org
