THE NUTCRACKER | 25th Anniversary
Delaware’s Holiday Tradition at The Grand
Celebrate the season with Delaware’s professional ballet company! Share in Marie’s holiday dream and experience a magical journey through a swirling snowstorm to the Land of Sweets in this lavish production.
Saturday, December 13, 2025 at 2 pm
Saturday, December 13, 2025 at 7 pm
Sunday, December 14, 2025 at 2 pm
Saturday, December 20, 2025 at 2 pm
Saturday, December 20, 2025 at 7 pm
Sunday, December 21, 2025 at 2 pm
Copeland Hall
Tickets: $25 - $67
THE NUTCRACKER
Music by PYOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY
Choreography by PASHA KAMBALOV and KRISTINA KAMBALOV after LEV IVANOV and MARIUS PETIPA
Premiere: December 18, 1892 at the Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg, Russia
ACT I
The Stahlbaums and their children Marie and Fritz are hosting their annual Christmas party. The mysterious Herr Drosselmeyer enters and entertains the children. Drosselmeyer later appears disguised as a magician and presents a puppet show, followed by three life-size dancing dolls, to the delight of the guests.
The children begin to open gifts and Drosselmeyer presents his gift of a beautiful nutcracker to Marie. Marie admires it more than all the other toys. Fritz wants to play with the new doll; he pulls it away from Marie and throws it on the floor. Marie is heartbroken, but Drosselmeyer quickly repairs the nutcracker.
As the evening grows late, the guests depart and the Stahlbaum family retires for the evening. Marie comes downstairs to steal one last glance at her nutcracker under the Christmas tree. She falls asleep. In a dream she sees the drawing room. A mouse scurries out of a hole, and then mice scamper out from everywhere. The mice try to take the nutcracker from Marie until the Mouse King enters. Marie is terribly frightened and hides behind a chair. Suddenly her nutcracker appears life-size. Overcoming her fear, she runs up to him. The Nutcracker leads a regiment of soldiers to defend Marie. The Mouse King is defeated and disappears with his army. Drosselmeyer transforms Marie into a lovely maiden and the Nutcracker into a handsome prince. Together, they set off on a journey to the Land of Snow where they are welcomed by dancing snowflakes.
ACT II
Marie and the prince arrive in the Land of Sweets and the festivities begin. First comes Chocolate, then Coffee and Tea, followed by Honey Cake, Marzipan and Gingerbread, Gumdrops and the Waltz of the Flowers. Marie and the prince dance merrily with the rest.
At last the wonderful dream is over and Marie awakens.
Length: 1 hour 45 minutes including one intermission
CASTING
Marie/Princess - Marina Profy (12/13 2pm, 12/14 2pm, 12/20 7pm)
Angela Zielen (12/13 7pm, 12/20 2pm, 12/21 2pm)
Prince - Joseph Huberty (12/13 2pm, 12/14 2pm, 12/20 7pm)
Noah Strand (12/13 7pm, 12/20 2pm, 12/21 2pm)
The Young Marie - Taylor Legum
Herr Drosselmeyer - Stephen Everson
Dr. Stahlbaum - Lance Posternak
Frau Stahlbaum - Sarah Scandrett
Fritz Stahlbaum - Giovanni Saldivar
Party Girls - Allison Peacock, Katlyn Peacock, Lauren Reed, Mia Renner, Penelope Saldivar
Party Boys - Morgan DeAllie, Genevieve Dinsmore, Aleksandra Fratta, Georgianna Shrewberry, Riley Vinson
Party Children - Percy Masiello, Rin Masiello
Parents - Cade Bolz, Carter Bush, Taylor Ciampi, Reese Dixon, Hailey Fairhurst, Hayley Miller, Richmond Salvador, Brian Warkentien
Maids - Dominique Buckman, Sophia Schwinghammer
Dolls - Kate Heulitt, Carlos Martinez, Kaelynne Moore
Mouse King - Adão Campos
Mice - Declan Andringa, Cade Bolz, Carter Bush, Kate Heulitt, Carlos Martinez, Kaelynne Moore, Lance Posternak, Richmond Salvador, Olivia Sparling, Aoi Tashiro, Brian Warkentien
The Nutcracker - Kyle Cloutier
Soldiers - Violet DaGrossa, Morgan DeAllie, Zoe Dyson, Aleksandra Fratta, Allison Peacock, Katlyn Peacock, Zoya Petrova, Briana Redfearn, Mia Renner, Riley Vinson
Snow Maidens - Kate Heulitt, Olivia Sparling
Snowflakes - Dominique Buckman, Taylor Ciampi, Violet DaGrossa, Reese Dixon, Hailey Fairhurst, Isabella Flickinger, Ava Gray, Jacqueline Jerome, Genevieve Lunger, Hayley Miller, Kaelynne Moore, Briana Redfearn, Sarah Scandrett, Sophia Schwinghammer, Aoi Tashiro, Anne Zhu
Angels - Mila Bogdanova, Meadow Bastio, Kitana Breaux, Anastasia Fratta, Alayna Hynes, Adelaide Leonard, Chloe Lu, Leah McDermott, Adrienne Newell, Madeleine Otruba, Cadence Osie Bonsei, Jordyn Pierce, Lauren Reed, Jordan Richards, Penelope Saldivar, Amelia Scott
Hot Chocolate - Hayley Miller, Cade Bolz, Stephen Everson, Richmond Salvador, Brian Warkentien
Coffee - Kate Heulitt with Dominique Buckman, Hailey Fairhurst, Kaelynne Moore, Sarah Scandrett
Tea - Carlos Martinez, Aoi Tashiro
Honey Cakes - Carter Bush, Adão Campos, Reese Dixon, Sophia Schwinghammer
Marzipan and Gingerbread- Olivia Sparling, Lance Posternak
Gumdrops - Kyle Cloutier, Genevieve Dinsmore, Morgan DeAllie, Zoya Petrova, Lauren Reed, Mia Renner, Penelope Saldivar, Giovanni Saldivar, Georgianna Shrewberry
Dew Drop Fairy - Taylor Ciampi
Flowers - Violet DaGrossa, Isabella Flickinger, Ava Gray, Jaqueline Jerome, Genevieve Lunger, Briana Redfearn, Anne Zhu, Adriana Zikowski
Little Flowers - Zoe Dyson, Aleksandra Fratta, Taylor Legum, Allison Peacock, Katlyn Peacock, Riley Vinson
Cavaliers - Cade Bolz, Stephen Everson, Richmond Salvador, Brian Warkentien
*casting subject to change