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The Nutcracker returns to Houston Ballet
Among Houston Ballet's cast of the Sugar Plum is Jacquelyn Long. She has participated in various versions of The Nutcracker for 20 years, performing with the Houston Ballet for the last eight.
HOUSTON - It's that time of year where Houston Ballet Artistic Director Stanton Welch AM's The Nutcracker takes center stage.
This is the fourth year where Welch's version is performed at The Wortham Center in Houston, running from November 29 to December 29.
"The Nutcracker is for everyone, transcending age and culture. It's a tradition of warmth and togetherness that we take great pride in sharing with our community," says Welch.
The Nutcracker at Wortham Center
With hundreds of roles, Welch's The Nutcracker offers the most opportunities in the ballet's body of work. All 61 Company dancers perform during the show run.
The professionals are joined by 344 young dancers - 313 students from Houston Ballet Academy and 31 locals from its open audition.
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Rehearsing for The Nutcracker
In addition to the 61 Company dancers for The Nutcracker, 344 young dancers ages 7-19 fill out the rest of the cast. Among those young dancers is Victoria Van Den Bergh who is playing the role of a Bumblebee and a Samurai rat.
On average, more than 75,000 ballet goers attend the annual production.
Three of the 37 performances are dedicated to student matinees which expose children to the arts.
The general public can see the ballet for as little as $30 a ticket. Click here to purchase.
Houston Ballet's The Nutcracker