The Nutcracker

Ballet San Antonio once again brings the perennial holiday favorite The Nutcracker to the Tobin for 12 performances with live accompaniment of the Tchaikovsky score provided by the San Antonio Symphony. Inspired by the classic E.T.A. Hoffmann tale The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, reality and fantasy blend in a young girl’s dreams of a handsome prince, frightening rodents at war, and exotic characters from around the globe. This production debuted just last season, choreographed by artistic director Willy Shives. The sparkling production blends Shives’ artistic vision with that of the legendary Gerald Arpino, utilizing the great maestro’s choreography for The Land of Snow and Waltz of the Flowers variations. Arpino was the co-founder of Joffrey Ballet and a tremendous mentor to Shives during his many years with that company. In this family-friendly fare, more than 100 children from the community will join the dancers of the company along with local celebrities making surprise cameo appearances. Guest celebrities performing include KSAT on-air talent like Mike Osterhage and Ursula Pari as well as the San Antonio Spurs Coyote, and former Spur Matt Bonner.