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UTICA — Seven Utica Community Schools students will be performing in “An Irish Nutcracker” at 5 p.m. Dec. 20 at the McMorran Place Theater, 701 McMorran Blvd. in Port Huron.
The classic version of “The Nutcracker” is a two-act ballet by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, where a young girl receives a nutcracker from her godfather as a Christmas present and later goes on to fight a mouse king and meet citizens from a magical world with her newly animated nutcracker.
The version of this story planned for ‘An Irish Nutcracker’ will swap out ballet and classical music with Irish dancing and music but will otherwise follow the same classic storyline.
“Act I starts at Claire’s house, a cottage in Ireland, where Claire’s friends and family gather for an Irish dance party, with traditional group ceili dancing to Irish music,” Hillary Snook, associate artistic director for the performance, said in a press release. “Act II explores the world of Irish folklore in Tír na nÓg, the ‘Land of Eternal Youth,’ a mythical realm where fairies and mortals are said to live forever.”
‘An Irish Nutcracker’ was created by Sarah Allison Houghtelin, owner and founder of the Celtic Dance Academy in Phoenix.
“Sophia Wyzgowski, former student of Sarah, acquired production of An Irish Nutcracker in 2012 in Michigan,” Snook said in an email. “The dancers in the show are all students for Sophia Wyzgowski’s school, The Shannon Irish Dance Academy.”
Rehearsals for the winter performance began in early September and will continue every weekend up until show day.
“Among all those rehearsals our dancers are also training during the week for our regionals, the Mid-America Oireachtas this November in Milwaukee, WI,” Snook said in an email.
The Utica Community Schools students performing in this production are:
• Hailey Jacobs, Bemis Junior High, seventh grade.
• Emma Mullett, Morgan Elementary, fifth grade.
• Meagan Mullett, Eisenhower High School, 10th grade.
• Taylor Patterson, Gene L. Klida Utica Academy for International Studies, 12th grade.
• Scarlett Vincent, Beacon Tree Elementary, sixth grade.
• McKenzie Wagner, Eppler Junior High, ninth grade.
• Kaylee Wallace, Utica High School, 12th grade.
Jacobs will have a solo as a night pixie and also portray Tuatha Dé Danann (Warrior).
“Participating in ‘An Irish Nutcracker’ is just so fun, because you get to use your acting skills which you normally don’t use,” Jacobs said in an email. “At the beginning of the Nutcracker season, you get to try out for a solo part. I did this year and got the solo part of Night Pixie.”
Wallace will have a solo as Joseph MacDrosselmeyer (The Godfather) and also portray a Tree and Tuatha Dé Danann (Warrior). Performing on the McMorran stage again is what excites Wallace most about the production.
“It’s been two years and it’s one of my favorite stages to dance on. I love the backstage, makeup rooms, and everything in between. I have been in every production of the Irish Nutcracker and I’m excited to share the stage with my teammates and friends again,” Wallace said in an email.
Tickets for “An Irish Nutcracker,” which range in price from $27.25 to $48.25, can be purchased at mcmorran.com/events/an-irish-nutcracker-4. Also, those interested in volunteering for the performance and who have some experience with hair, makeup, costuming or stage setup may contact Hillary Snook at hillarysnook715@gmail.com.
“This has been an amazing experience,” Snook said in a press release. “Our amazing cast this year has put in so much work and I can’t wait to see them all perform on show day!”
