The Nutcracker Ballet returns to The North Country

THE NUTCRACKER

WHEN: Saturday, December 5, 2009; 3:00pm

WHERE: Berlin Junior High School Auditorium, Berlin, NH

TICKETS: $12 for adults and $6 for children.

MORE INFORMATION: call (603) 752-1028

The St. Kieran Arts Center in Berlin is proud to bring The Nutcracker Ballet back to the North Country on Saturday, December 5 at 3pm. This great seasonal performances will be held at the Berlin Junior High School Auditorium for the 4th consecutive year. Advance tickets are available on a first come, first served basis and are $12 for adults and $6 for children. The special performance is proudly sponsored by Isaacson Structural Steel and Northway Financial.

The Nutcracker is a timeless tale of a Christmas adventure where dreams come to life for Clara and her beloved toy, the Nutcracker. After a family’s holiday gathering, the clock strikes midnight and strange, mysterious and wonderful things begin to happen. The audience will be amazed when fairies, soldiers, dolls, angels, a Snow Queen, a Snow Prince and even a Rat King--- are all brought to life by over forty dancers of the Robinson Ballet Company.

Featuring brilliant costumes, exciting music and award- winning set designs, this fast-paced, high-energy performance is truly the family holiday event of the season. Over the past three years, the Robinson Ballet Company has performed this special holiday classic to an enthusiastic 750-seat sold house, making it the Arts Center’s most successful event to date. The Nutcracker enchants and mesmerizes audiences from opening scene to standing ovation.

The Robinson Ballet is a popular and highly respected dance company based in Bangor, Maine. Its mission is to educate, inspire and involve people of all ages in the appreciation of dance and to bring dance performances to communities throughout rural Maine and Northern NH who would not otherwise have access to large-scale dance performances such as the Nutcracker.

Founded by Ralph Robinson over three decades ago, the Company is now under the artistic direction of the husband and wife team of Keith Robinson and Maureen Lynch. Robinson and Lynch have danced professionally throughout the United States and in Europe with the Ballet Classique De Paris and the Athens Ballet Theater in Athens, Greece. Over the company’s 30-year teaching and performing legacy many aspiring Maine dancers have gone on to enjoy professional dance careers and world-wide acclaim.

“Some people have read the Nutcracker story as a child and many others have always wanted to see a live performance of the Nutcracker but have never had the opportunity. After three years of successful performances, we now have folks who have not missed one of our Nutcracker performances and now make it an annual tradition with family and friends---and that’s very exciting and fulfilling,” states Joan Chamberlain, Executive Director.

St. Kieran Arts Center is a non-profit organization funded in part by grants from the NH State Council on the Arts, NH American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, National Endowment for the Arts, and the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation/North Country.

Nutcracker tickets are $12 for adults, $6.00 for students/children and are still available at Northway Bank’s Berlin and Gorham offices, Wonderland Bookstore, Gill’s Florist, RadioShack in Colebrook and St. Kieran Arts Center office, 155 Emery Street, Berlin from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm Monday through Friday. For more information and to reserve your tickets call 752-1028.