Nutcracker

Rima Shah Singing, music and a red-carpet welcome for celebrities marked the beginning of the "The Nutcracker," which was performed Sunday at Glendale's Alex Theatre. Jack Klugman, veteran TV actor from "The Odd Couple," and "Quincy," was one of the celebrities invited to the ballet. Accompanying him was Peggy Crosby, who has appeared in "The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement," "Raising Helen," and "The Odd Couple: Together Again." The ballet was presented by the Burbank-based Media City Ballet, featuring a cast of more than 100 dancers.

JOYCE RUDOLPH The dance tradition of the Russian Ballet Russe is the inspiration for the Media City Ballet's two performances of "The Nutcracker" Sunday at The Alex Theatre in Glendale. Natasha Middleton, artistic director of the Burbank company, is creating the choreography based on the principles of the legendary Ballet Russe de Serge Diaghilev. Middleton's grandmother, Elena Wortova, was a soloist in the original Ballet Russe and Middleton's father, Andrei Tremaine, was a principal dancer with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo.

Media City Ballet (MCB), Natasha Middleton-Kettebekov, artistic director, will present a full-length classical storybook version of Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky's perennial favorite holiday ballet, The Nutcracker , choreographed and directed by Askar Kettebekov, featuring a large cast of professional dancers, accompanied for the first time by The San Fernando Valley Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of conductor James Domine, with The Taft High...

A sold-out crowd of families came out to the Pickwick Gardens Sunday afternoon for tea and ballet. "Clara's Holiday Tea Party" was presented by the Media City Ballet to give an appreciation to children and their parents about "The Nutcracker" and ballet in general. Roberta Anders, of Westlake Village, said she came to the tea with her children Natalie, 5, and James, 2, to get into the holiday spirit. "The Nutcracker is a holiday tradition," Anders said.

It was barely contained chaos, with small children gorging themselves on a sugary bounty before the Red Chair’s annual production of “The Nutcracker” Friday night at the Alex Theatre in Glendale. Parents sipped peppermint martinis and talked shop while grandparents rested on benches with bouquets or adjusted their zoom lenses. Nearby, a thickening stream of families poured into the theater. The pre-party, titled the “Land of Sweets” after the ballet’s divertissement suite of dances, is an apt example of the Red Chair’s knack for culling the best elements of traditional children’s theater in a sophisticated cocktail that adults can enjoy, too. Even if the show wasn’t watchable — and it is quite entertaining after a tedious start — the sheer feat of wrangling 125 children and young adults into a coherent staging of the holiday classic might be laudable enough.

Universal Ballet, under the general direction of Julia Moon and artistic direction of Oleg Vinogradov, returns to Los Angeles with four performances of its acclaimed production of "The Nutcracker," choreographed by Vasily Vainonen and staged by Oleg Vinogradov to the Tchaikovsky score. The set designs are by Simon Virsaladze and Simon Pastukh and the costumes designs are by Simon Virsaladze. "The Nutcracker" is a magical treat ? a holiday favorite for the entire family. Universal Ballet's "The Nutcracker" is from the original Mariinsky Theater version created by Vasily Vainonen in St. Petersburg in 1934.

The Fremont Elementary auditorium filled with giggles and cheers as the acting company of "We Tell Stories" jumped from the stage into the audience during their performance Nov. 12. The students of Fremont got to see, hear and even participate in two stories, "One Chanukah in Chelm," by Shalom Aleichem, and "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King," by Eta Hoffman. The extremely energetic actors, Stacy Turner, Armando Ortega and Ova Saopeng, did not let the show slow down once as they had the kids roaring with laughter with their version of these books.

Joyce Rudolph Media City Ballet hosts holiday luncheon BURBANK -- The Media City Ballet Company will perform excerpts from "The Nutcracker" at 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 16, for a fund-raising holiday luncheon at the Burbank Airport Hilton, Festival Jubilee Room, 2500 N. Hollywood Way. The luncheon will feature a choice of entrees, Chicken Rosemary or Eggplant Parmesan. A no-host bar will be available. "A delightful afternoon of festive music and dance in the traditional holiday spirit," is planned, said company founder and Artistic Director Natasha Middleton.

CITY HALL — It took a security cable and a lock to assure the safety of a wreath placed on the city’s veterans memorial Wednesday, a day after a nutcracker statue was stolen from Brand Boulevard. The wreath, dedicated for the first time by the Glendale Chamber of Commerce’s Citizenship and Patriotism Committee, was an effort to show appreciation for troops who had sacrificed their lives so that others could enjoy occasions like the holidays in freedom, said Mirna Stanley, the committee’s chairwoman.

The students who acted and danced in “Visions of Sugarplums” this weekend in the Glendale High School auditorium performed a one-of-a-kind piece written by Tracy Vonder Haar. The ballet revolves around a series of dreams the main character, Jane, has one snowy night while asleep at her home in New York City. “Visions of Sugarplums” takes place during World War II, and Jane’s father is off at war. As they are walking in the city on Christmas Eve, Jane spots a famous ballerina dancing “The Nutcracker” in the park.

Some families make it their holiday tradition to bake cookies together. Others have eggnog and sing carols while decorating the tree. But the Harris family of Burbank prefers dancing in "The Nutcracker" ballet with the Red Chair Production Company. Michele and Dan Harris and their daughters, Haylee,13, and Lena, 10, have been participating in the annual holiday classic since the company began performing the show five years ago. This year, Mother and Father will be dignitaries in the party scene, and daughter Haylee will be portraying the maid.

A company known for its annual “Nutcracker” performance is breaking tradition and dancing only excerpts from the holiday ballet while not straying far from the story. Media City Ballet of Los Angeles will integrate five companies that feature different ethnic styles of dance into the show “A World of Holiday Dance” on Tuesday night at the Alex Theatre. The theme mirrors Clara’s visit to the Land of the Sweets in the holiday tale, said Artistic Director Natasha Middleton.

The students who acted and danced in “Visions of Sugarplums” this weekend in the Glendale High School auditorium performed a one-of-a-kind piece written by Tracy Vonder Haar. The ballet revolves around a series of dreams the main character, Jane, has one snowy night while asleep at her home in New York City. “Visions of Sugarplums” takes place during World War II, and Jane’s father is off at war. As they are walking in the city on Christmas Eve, Jane spots a famous ballerina dancing “The Nutcracker” in the park.

It was barely contained chaos, with small children gorging themselves on a sugary bounty before the Red Chair’s annual production of “The Nutcracker” Friday night at the Alex Theatre in Glendale. Parents sipped peppermint martinis and talked shop while grandparents rested on benches with bouquets or adjusted their zoom lenses. Nearby, a thickening stream of families poured into the theater. The pre-party, titled the “Land of Sweets” after the ballet’s divertissement suite of dances, is an apt example of the Red Chair’s knack for culling the best elements of traditional children’s theater in a sophisticated cocktail that adults can enjoy, too. Even if the show wasn’t watchable — and it is quite entertaining after a tedious start — the sheer feat of wrangling 125 children and young adults into a coherent staging of the holiday classic might be laudable enough.

CITY HALL — It took a security cable and a lock to assure the safety of a wreath placed on the city’s veterans memorial Wednesday, a day after a nutcracker statue was stolen from Brand Boulevard. The wreath, dedicated for the first time by the Glendale Chamber of Commerce’s Citizenship and Patriotism Committee, was an effort to show appreciation for troops who had sacrificed their lives so that others could enjoy occasions like the holidays in freedom, said Mirna Stanley, the committee’s chairwoman.

There will be a new ballerina wearing Clara’s crown in Media City Ballet’s production of Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker.” After three years, Amara Baptist has passed the crown of the ballet’s lead role to Mira Nastassja for this year’s performances Dec. 6 and 7 at the Alex Theatre in Glendale. Baptist moves into three new roles this year, Chinese dancer, Columbina and Icicle, said Natasha Middleton, company artistic director and choreographer.

The “Nutcracker Ballet” is a holiday tradition and for many it is the first time they experience the ballet. It is with this in mind that the Media City Ballet’s founder and artist director Natasha Middleton casts and choreographs her production. “We are in a different day and age,” Middleton said. “Ballet needs to change [with the times].” Her company will perform “The Nutcracker” Dec. 6-7 at Glendale’s Alex Theatre.

Clara’s Holiday Tea Party drew 120 people Sunday to Descanso Gardens for an afternoon meal and an up-close introduction to professional ballet dancers. Media City Ballet hosted the event to give parents and children a preview of characters that will perform in “The Nutcracker” ballet on Dec. 6 and 7 at the Alex Theatre, artistic director Natasha Middleton said. “A lot of times kids will come to the show and they’ll see, but they won’t really understand,” said Middleton, explaining that she first held the event five years ago and found that increased familiarity with the dancers and the roles they played created more excitement about the ballet.

The “Nutcracker Ballet” is a beautiful holiday tradition that takes the audience into a world of a young girl’s dream. Media City Ballet’s “Clara’s Holiday Tea Party,” another holiday tradition held at Descanso Gardens on Sunday, Nov. 23, will bring clarity to the dream ballet and share the story with an audience during a wonderful afternoon tea. Clara’s Tea Party is a way for an audience to share...

Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker” is returning to the Alex Theatre, but this year, theatergoers can see three productions of the classic holiday ballet. Dancers from Burbank’s Media City Ballet, The Red Chair Children’s Production Co. and the Los Angeles Ballet are rehearsing their own versions of the famous ballet. About 60 dancers from the Los Angeles Ballet will perform their full-length production on Nov. 29 and 30. “We are constantly making little changes and modifications in the ballet,” said Thordal Christensen, co-artistic director of Los Angeles Ballet.