- Tickets are available online at alabamariverregionballet.com.
- There is a 10 percent discount for military, seniors and children 12 and under.
- On Saturday for Military Appreciation Night, all military, first responders and their families get in for 50 percent off.
You could say Sarah Paterson and Erin Waggoner are “fairy” good friends.
Tickets are available now to see them and almost a hundred other dancers carry on a Christmas tradition. Now in its 10th season, Alabama River Region Ballet will present its 7th production of “The Nutcracker” on Dec. 2-4 at Troy University’s Davis Theatre in downtown Montgomery.
“We’re super close, everyone in the youth company,” said Waggoner, 16, a junior at Saint James School who has been with ARRB for 9 years. “I love all my friends so, so much. It’s like a big family.”
In addition to being among the 16 snowflakes, Paterson and Waggoner will alternate the roles of Sugar Plum Fairy and Dew Drop Fairy. It’s a repeat of roles they held last year.
“We get to see each other from backstage,” said Pateron, a 17-year-old senior dancer at ARRB who attends Evangel Christian Academy. “It’s really wonderful because Erin and I have a really close friendship, and we get to see each other dance and perform the role. It’s really magical, really lovely and sweet.”
They’ve both grown as dancers and friends through the years, with a bit of healthy competition between them as well. They’ve each been in all of ARRB’s Nutcrackers since performances began in 2016.
“Being the Sugar Plum Fairy for me is a dream come true,” Paterson said. “She’s such a magical character. She really takes Clara through the Land of Sweets. The magic that she produces through her choreography is just incredible.”
“I feel much more confident in myself,” Waggoner said. “I’m having a lot more fun with (Sugar Plum) this year. I’m really enjoying it, taking on the role. Taking on the character. Thinking about what the Sugar Plum is thinking as she’s dancing with the Angels, and while she’s dancing with her Cavalier. I’m trying to bring my own style to it as well.”
Another fun part for Waggoner comes from growing up watching the older girls take on the Sugar Plum Fairy role.
“Now I’m the older girl,” she said.
Which means she’s a dancer the current young ones want to become like one day.
“All of our younger students are always looking to the next characters that they can be,” said Kyana Goodyear, school director at ARRB. She said it’s been quite a journey watching them grow into beautiful ballerinas.
“They work extremely hard, and the dedication that they put in really shows in this performance,” Goodyear said. “We really pride ourselves on great classical ballet and building relationships with these young girls and their families.”
The production, which is the full Nutcracker in two acts, is choreographed by Stevan Grebel, and set to music of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. It’s based on the 1816 storybook by German author E.T.A. Hoffman, and includes the opening party scene with the mysterious Drosselmeyer (Liam McMullan) and his exciting, dancing gifts. There’s a battle scene with the Mouse Queen (Abbie Roach), and then Clara (Maddie Jacobs) is swept away on a journey to the Kingdom of Snow and Land of Sweets. The journey continues with “Flowers,” “Spanish,” “Chinese,” “Arabian,” “Candy Canes,” “Mirlitons,” and “Mother Ginger” (Roach) and her adorable “Polichinelles.”
Other soloists and duos will also have alternating roles:
- Spanish: Neva Schoettker and Autumn Kerns.
- Arabian: So’Nia Brown and Avery Samples.
- Chinese: Autumn Kerns and Lauren Babcock
- Candy Cane: Piper Bonner and Sophia Link
- Marzipan Pas de Trois: Lauren Babcock & Sophia Link; Neva Schoettker & So’Nia Brown; and Neva Schoettker & Avery Gross.
Paterson said she has a lot more confidence going into her roles .
“I feel like this year, there’s this newfound energy with everyone,” Paterson said. “The choreography is even more exciting than last year.”
Guest artist David Block returns as the Nutcracker Prince and Cavalier.
“He actually trained where I trained in New York, at the School of American Ballet,” said Priscilla Crommelin-McMullan, ARRB’s artistic advisor and youth community director. “He’s a freelance dancer all around New York and California.”
Along with the dance and the characters, Paterson said she’s excited about the Sugar Plum Fairy’s new outfit. She and Waggoner aren’t alone in getting a makeover. Crommelin-McMullan said they’ve added a lot of new costumes.
“We have a new backdrop and new props,” she said. “Everything is being upgraded this year. It’ll be even more professional than last year.”
Performances are Dec. 2 at 7 p.m., Dec. 3 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., and Dec. 4 at 2 p.m.
“We’ve added a matinee this year on Saturday,” Crommelin-McMullan said.
Tickets are available online at alabamariverregionballet.com. There is a 10 percent discount for military, seniors and children 12 and under. On Saturday for Military Appreciation Night, all military, first responders and their families get in for 50 percent off.
Paterson and Waggoner hope audiences see how much they love ballet.
“Me and Sarah care so much about this artform,” Waggoner said. “All our teachers care so much, and we have so much fun doing it. We want all the people in the audience to feel that love come from the stage, into their hearts, and warm them with the Christmas spirit.”
Montgomery Advertiser reporter Shannon Heupel covers things to do in the River Region. Contact him at sheupel@gannett.com
