SHELBY, Ohio — Colorful sets and costumes matched with the artistry of ballet greeted a full audience at Shelby High School Friday night as Richland Academy performed “The Nutcracker.”
As the classic story tells, it was Christmas Eve at the Stahlbaum house and godfather Drosselmeyer arrives with gifts. You Clara receives a nutcracker and later falls asleep and dreams. The Nutcracker comes to life and battles the Mouse King. The Nutcracker Prince takes her on a journey through the Land of Snow.
The academy dance performance took the audience through a beautiful retelling of that story.
The production was directed by Richland Academy Dance Department Chair Sarah Horrigan-Ramos and Artistic Director Marden Ramos. Saturday’s shows are at 2 and 7 p.m.
Many local students were among the performers. Lauren Beard, a dancer at the academy and student at Ontario High school, performed as Clara Friday night and will also perform the role Saturday afternoon. Saturday night Kylee Dettmer will perform the role of Clara. Lexington High School’s Jillian Cordial performed as the Sugar Plum Fairy Friday evening. Beard will perform the role on Saturday.
Marden Ramos portrayed Drosselmeyer and Jarrod Sickles was the Nutcracker Prince.
The ballet was sponsored by a number donors including the Mary S. Wilson and the M-T Business Technologies Community Fund of the Richland County Foundation, Dr. John and Rebecca Weilbacker, Don and Nahed Hoover, Cordial Communications, Inc., and Kim and Kyle Beveridge, Woven Dance Co.
Note: A camera malfunction prevented capture of the second act and final scenes.
