Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet at Toyota Oakdale Theatre

The story of the Nutcracker is one of the greatest and well known fairy stories in the world. If Hans Christian Anderson were alive today, he would, I am sure, be the first to uphold the respect and dignity accorded the story, and the love and demand for its production. The performance opens with the recounting of some friends and family gathered in the family room on Christmas Eve. The Christmas tree is in the throes of being decorated for the forthcoming celebrations.

As the clock strikes eight, and the children are given their Christmas present, the room is brought to a hush by a mysterious old man as he enters. The man's name is Drosselmeyer, who not only is an important town councilor, but he is also a renowned and talented toy maker. He is also Clara’s proud godfather. He has brought gifts for the children. Among his offerings is a nutcracker, carved from wood, to look like a young man. Clara immediately falls I love with it. While playing with it, her younger brother accidentally breaks the nutcracker. Drosselmayer reassures Clara that it is easily repairable.

But, the hour is late, and it is time the children went up to bed. As the hours grow close to midnight, and everyone should be fast asleep, Clara, who cannot sleep, creeps downstairs to check on her nutcracker. The clock strikes midnight and Clara watches, as the nutcracker grows into the full height of a man. He is looks, also, to be the leader of a small army of gingerbread soldiers. Almost at the same time, Clara sees the room fill with hundreds of mean mice, and someone who looks like an evil King of the mice.

Somehow, Clara now finds that she, herself, is in the middle of a great battle, between the nutcracker with his gingerbread soldiers, against the Mouse King and his mice. In the heat of the battle, the Nutcracker is injured, and the Mouse King is advancing to slay the Nutcracker. Clara cannot allow anything to happen to her nutcracker, and throws one of her slippers at the evil mouse king.

The mouse king is distracted by being hit by the slipper, giving the nutcracker enough time and courage, to stab and kill the mouse king. The battle is over. All the mice scamper to race away and flee. Clara turns to see the nutcracker is now a handsome Prince. He leads Clara out through a pine forest and into his own beautiful kingdom, where Clara is introduced to the Sugar Plum Fairy.

The Prince tells of Clara’s bravery in the battle, and all the land is called to celebrate with the Prince. The celebration brings together all sorts of sweets from all over the world. As the evening draws to an end, The Sugar Plum Fairy takes both the Prince and Clara down through the garden, where she kisses each good night and goodbye. The Prince and Clara climb into a sleigh and fly away into the night.