Nutcracker Ballet opens Thanksgiving weekend

Get into the holiday spirit as Pinkerton Ballet Theatre presents its 22nd annual production of The Nutcracker Ballet. Performances will be at the Carson City Community Center on Thanksgiving weekend, 7 p.m. Nov. 26-27 and

2 p.m. Nov. 28.

The large cast includes dancers from all over the area, and a number of featured guest artists will travel from around the U.S. to join in this holiday extravaganza.

Dancing the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy is Christine Blanck, a company dancer with Festival Ballet Providence in Rhode Island.

Roger Fonnegra, who will portray the Cavalier, came to the U.S. from Venezuela to train at the School of American Ballet. He is currently a company dancer with Festival Ballet Providence.

Featured in the lead roles in Arabian Pas de Deux are Natalie Berger and Arthur Reloj. Berger was born and raised in Carson City, where she trained with Pinkerton Dance. She has earned several dance degrees from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and the University of Utah, has performed with Ririe Woodbury Dance Company of Utah, Siegfried and Roy Show and the Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. Reloj comes from Sierra Nevada Ballet, and also has performed with the University of Nevada, Reno's, Dance program, Wing and a Prayer Modern Dance Company and Nevada Festival Ballet.

Armen and Ruben Hagopian return to bring the true spirit and excitement of Russian dancing. They are professional folkloric character dancers from Las Vegas who travel extensively; this will be their 12th year with Pinkerton's Nutcracker.

The role of Clara will be shared by Victoria Lauder of Carson City and Erika Aufiero of Sparks. Ryan Frier of North Carolina returns for his fourth year with Pinkerton Ballet Theatre as the Nutcracker Prince. He also will perform the role of Snow King with Becca Kitchen, a Carson City native and Pinkerton alumnus who now resides in Reno, as Snow Queen. Lane Wilke of Reno will be the evil Mouse King, and the role of the Dew Drop Fairy will be shared by Breyanna Aufiero of Sparks and Brianna Goodfellow of Dayton.

Continuing the tradition of inviting local male community leaders to perform the role of Mother Gigogne, with the huge skirt and many children, Pinkerton Ballet Theatre will present District Attorney Neil Rombardo, Mayor Bob Crowell and State Sen. Mark Amodei, bringing the audience a different celebrity for each performance.

Tickets are $23.50 for general admission and $19.50 for seniors and students, including arts support fee. Tickets are available at the Brewery Arts Center's Artisan Gift Shop, 449 W. King St. or by calling 883-1976 ext. 117 or going online to www.breweryarts.org. Group discounts are offered, and tickets will be available at the door starting 90 minutes before each performance.

For more information, call 230-1915.