MANSFIELD, Ohio – Neos Dance Theatre is bringing together classic music and hometown nostalgia with a unique holiday show, “A 1940s Nutcracker” on Saturday at the Renaissance Theatre.
By blending classical ballet with contemporary dance, Neos dancers put a new spin on this holiday classic. Neos Artistic Director Bobby Wesner said only minor adjustments were made to the original plot line and Tchaikovsky score to make the story appropriate to the 1940s time period.
“We’ve created an environment from Mansfield and Richland County with references to places around our district that would’ve been recognizable throughout the 1940s,” said Wesner. “We let that era be our guide as to where to tweak the original Nutcracker storyline, and it fit really well.”
The innovative retelling of the classic Nutcracker story dances through scenes that would have taken place in World War II Mansfield, featuring locations such as the Women’s Club, Kingwood Center, Malabar Farm, the Ohio (Renaissance) Theatre, and more.
Being a dancer for more than 25 years, Wesner said he never thought he would change the traditional telling of the Nutcracker. However, after discussions about Neos doing its own version and months of research, a 1940s version of the Nutcracker set locally started to make sense.
“It’s an honest way of telling the story that’s beyond cliché and is really the heart and translates it to the community and makes it a tangible story,” he said.
Wesner drew inspiration from his own story of a father coming home from the war, mirrored in his grandfather coming home from World War II. This relationship dynamic extends from the dad throughout his children, but especially to his daughter Maria, who receives the gift of a nutcracker from her father.
After a Christmas party at their home, Maria falls asleep and has a strange dream where her nutcracker doll comes to life. What follows is a surreal account of the events throughout her day, set in a 1940s-era Mansfield.
“The nutcracker doll eventually takes the form of her next-door neighbor, who she has a crush on,” said Wesner. “He takes her on the town all throughout Mansfield, and the dream turns into a fantasy of everything she’d want to do in her community.”
Setting the backdrop of Maria’s adventures through Mansfield will be historical pictures depicting local troops from World War II, digitally re-mastered photos of Malabar Farm, and downtown shopping. Wesner said he worked closely with local historian and Richland Source columnist Tim McKee to find relevant photos and history that would’ve been happening during that time.
“I think a lot of people will find there’s something immediate they can relate to – stories about their grandparents, or going to Malabar Farm as a kid, or remembering the old O’Neil’s store,” said Wesner. “I feel like we’ve done a really thorough job to embed Mansfield and northeastern Ohio through the ballad throughout.”
Eventually the dream starts to dissolve and Maria wakes up on the step outside her front door, wondering if it was really a dream.
Neos Dance Theatre’s “A 1940s Nutcracker” will be performed at the Renaissance Theatre on Saturday, Dec. 12 at 2:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. Before the show begins, the Renaissance Theatre’s lobby will feature actors and nostalgic memorabilia from the Mansfield Memorial Museum stationed throughout with “1940s Reflections,” including a vintage car, a flashbulb “selfie station,” and more.
Two local people will also be featured in the Renaissance lobby. One veteran from World War II has agreed to tell his personal stories from the war, including meeting the president. Another 90-year-old woman with a personal connection to Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall’s wedding from Malabar Farm will also be on hand to share her stories.
Wesner said he is proud of the level of dancing talent in the show. “A 1940s Nutcracker” features professional and student dancers from eight counties, including Richland, Ashland, Morrow, Lorain, Hancock, Summit, Stark, and Wood.
“I’m really proud of how the company looks right now,” said Wesner. “The dancers have been on stage so much, they’re looking phenomenal and I can’t wait to show them off to the community.”
During a time of the year when the hustle and bustle of the holidays can seem overwhelming, Wesner emphasized the importance of families carving out moments of time to make memories.
“These holiday shows and especially this one is a great opportunity to build a memory of doing things together as a family,” he said. “That’s one of the big reasons why I would encourage people to come – it’s an opportunity to do something together to celebrate one another and celebrate the community.”
Tickets for “A 1940s Nutcracker” range from $19 to $30 and are on sale now at the Renaissance Box Office, by calling 419-522-2726, or visiting MansfieldTickets.com.
