Ballet Western Reserve takes Holiday Ballet to the Big Screen with A Nutcracker Drive-In
Would it be the holiday season in the Mahoning Valley without the classic ballet, The Nutcracker? Ballet Western Reserve believes they will keep the tradition alive with a completely new way of presenting the ballet -- A Nutcracker Drive-In. For one weekend only at the Eastwood Field parking area on the Eastwood Mall property, the ballet will play out on the big screen.
The performance will take place Friday and Saturday, December 18 and 19 at 7:30 pm, and Sunday, December 20, at 6 pm. This family-friendly, socially distanced event will feature Ballet Western Reserve dancers, special guests, and local celebrities.
“Our annual Nutcracker performance is so important to BWR not only as a fundraiser but also as an amazing opportunity for the dancers at BWR to perform a classic ballet for an audience,” Katie Merrill, BWR Executive Director said. With the likelihood of a traditional Nutcracker presentation in a theater fading as the pandemic dragged on, Merrill and the staff and board of directors started to think outside of the box. They decided to produce a locally made movie of the BWR Nutcracker. “So many national musicians and comedians began to produce drive in productions, and I thought, this is the way to go!” Merrill said.
Cate Greyjoy, BWR’s artistic director, added that for generations of dancers, The Nutcracker is a treasured experience and a space to share months, and sometimes years, of hard work with family and friends. “In this unprecedented year we've experienced, highlighted by missed opportunities and lost performances, we hope to give back to both our dance families and the Mahoning Valley. If for one weekend we can bolster community morale by hosting a brief escape from reality and sharing the incredible creative efforts of our students and staff, then we've accomplished our goal of bringing greater beauty to our corner of Ohio,” Greyjoy said.
Tickets will be $45.00 per car and will go on sale on October 21, at 9 am on the BWR website, www.balletwesternreserve.org. The audience will remain inside their cars, park, and watch the production on a large screen at the Eastwood Field. For more information, or interviews and video opportunities, call Ballet Western Reserve at 330-744-1934.
About BWR: Founded in 1962, BWR has grown to become the region’s premier dance academy that trains children and teenagers in the art of dance. Many of these young people have gone on to advanced study in some of the nation’s most prestigious schools and universities and have launched successful professional careers with major dance companies and as respected instructors.
