Revered as one of Southern California’s best versions of the beloved ballet, The Ballet Studio returns this holiday season with its captivating performance of The Nutcracker. Directed by Mark Erickson and presented by The Ballet Studio and Norris Performing Arts Center in collaboration with Fine Arts Network Theater Company, the show has been a holiday tradition in Old Town Temecula since 2005. It tells the timeless tale of a girl, a magician, a rat king, and a prince-- a perfect family outing for the holiday season.
Mark Erickson's connection to The Nutcracker began during his childhood when he first heard a recording of Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker Suite”. He recalls listening to the music during long winters when the snow fell heavily outside. Later in life, as a professional ballet dancer, he participated in countless Nutcracker performances. However, Erickson always felt that something was missing from the traditional show-- a deeper sense of drama and plot. While performing in the original run of Andrew Lloyd Webber's “The Phantom of the Opera.” in the 90's, he began wondering if he could rewrite “The Nutcracker” to add elements he felt it lacked.
When he opened The Ballet Studio in 2005, Erickson seized the opportunity to reshape the ballet. His version includes three leading characters--- Clara-Marie, Drosselmeyer, and Drosselmeyer's assistant -- whose relationships are intended to fluctuate over the course of the ballet. Four minutes have been added to the battle scene, a nightmare turned fantasy as Clara-Marie finds the courage to overcome her fears and defend her hero.
Their opening toy shop scene paints a discordant image to excerpts from Igor Stravinsky’s “The Right of Spring.” Erickson believed that the use of such music elevated the levels of tension, while also setting up the rest of the ballet. It foreshadows what's to follow. Their battle sequence also incorporates music not from the original score, more specifically Tchaikovsky's “Symphony No. 6.” Erickson’s joy doubled upon realizing the similarities between the tracks, and what it could offer in terms of creating drama. He explains that the battle sequence they put on the stage is not fun and games, but rather, takes on a life of its own. To book tickets for a show or learn more about the studio, visit https://www.theballetstudio.net/.