In Act 1, you are drawn into the Stahlbaum family’s home with a festive tree and are then met by Clara, Fritz and their friends before Dr. Stahlbaum invites the guests to dance, including his daughter Clara. After Drosselmeyer—known as “Uncle Drosselmeyer” to the Stahlbaums—gives his nutcracker doll to Clara, Fritz breaks it. Alas, Drosselmeyer has to fix it and then another wonderful dance breaks out.
San Francisco Ballet in Tomasson’s Nutcracker // © Erik Tomasson *** Local Caption *** Clara: Abby Cannon
San Francisco Ballet in Tomasson’s Nutcracker // © Erik Tomasson *** Local Caption *** Clara: Abby Cannon, Fritz: Kai Hannigan
In that holiday season mystical way, Clara falls asleep on the couch where she dreams of Uncle Drosselmeyer, the nutcracker doll and the guests. Then the dream expands with enormous mice who has a King and an army of toy soldiers, however luckily her nutcracker doll comes to life to protect her. You don’t have to be a child to be on the edge of your seat for this performance.
San Francisco Ballet in Tomasson’s Nutcracker // © Erik Tomasson *** Local Caption *** Soldiers: Aria Gerking, Lizzy Steward, Sofia Garcia, Zoie Liang Mao, Alexis Altshuler, Ruby Rosenquist, Piper O’Leary Herreras, Eve Kaufman, Danica Suverkrubbe
The King of the Mice challenges the Nutcracker to a duel who after defeating the King, collapses. Uncle Drosselmeyer comes to the rescue, for he is full of magic. What happens? He transforms the Nutcracker into a dashing Prince and together, they go on a journey through the “Land of Snow.”
Yuan Yuan Tan and Henry Sidford in Tomasson’s Nutcracker // © Erik Tomasson
In Act II, there is even more drama and color with the garden of a Crystal Palace, ladybugs, dragonflies, and butterflies and guess what? They can all dance. The Sugar Plum Fairy welcomes Clara and the Prince and a festival ensues with more dancing, starting with Spanish flair, an Arabian genie (who hasn’t dreamed of genies as a child?), performers from China and French dancers with beautiful decadent ribbons. Lest not forget the Russian dancers, Madame du Cirque and a dancing bear.
San Francisco Ballet in Tomasson’s Nutcracker // © Erik Tomasson
Does it sound like heaven from a child’s eyes yet? The truth is that the Nutcracker is not only that and more for kids, but it magically transports anyone watching back into dream time from their own childhoods and it happens to be the most rewarding ones, filled with magic, wonder, mystery and fantasy.
And of course, it just keeps getting better.
The Sugar Plum Fairy waltzes with her court of Flowers after which the Sugar Plum Fairy and Uncle Drosselmeyer grant Clara a Christmas wish by transforming her into a beautiful ballerina so that she can dance with the Prince.
