Columbia City Ballet’s Nutcracker Returns to the Fine Arts Center of Kershaw County
November 14, 2012
Friday, November 30 at 7 p.m.
CAMDEN, SC – The Fine Arts Center of Kershaw County (FAC) announces the return of a holiday traditionin Camden when the Columbia City Ballet’s (CCB) brings its full-lengthproduction of Nutcracker to the stage of the Wood Auditorium for one magical evening. Deemed as close to perfect as you can get by The State, the FAC will present CCB’s 52nd anniversary production of the Nutcracker, on Friday, Nov. 30 at 7 p.m. This award-winning spectacle is SouthCarolina’s largest single performing arts event, with more performancesin more cities reaching more audience members than any other SouthCarolina arts event! Tickets are $20 for adults and $18 for students,seniors and military. Come early and enjoy a special preview night forthe FAC’s Holiday Sales Show in the historic Douglas-Reed House (c1812)where more than 30 regional artists will have merchandise available forpurchase. Preview hours are 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. Nutcracker is sponsored by Powers Funeral Home.
About the Nutcracker
The Nutcracker, which tells the story of a younggirl named Clara who is taken on a magical journey as a reward forsaving the life of her beloved Nutcracker Price, was first performed inSt. Petersburg in 1892. The American version began in 1940 when theBallet Russe de Monte Carlo suddenly took refuge and was based inAmerica due to the Second World War and presented its production in NewYork City. Artistic Director William Starrett’s award-winningchoreography combines a cast of local and professional dancers, newcostumes and magical special effects. The company’s 30 professionaldancers will share the stage with over 20 talented local children, ages 4 to 18. Our ballet mistress and I have really been working on bringing out the lyricism of our female dancers complimenting the magnificentTchaikovsky score, paying even greater attention to the quality of themovements particularly during our new Snow Sequence from the Land ofSnow. I’ve also created a new Candy Cane divertissement from the Land of the Sweets during Act II inspired by the recent Summer Olympic Games
Columbia’s own Kathryn Smoake takes the lead role of Clara, the young girl who travels through the enchanted winter wonderlandaccompanied by the Nutcracker Prince, played by Soloist PhilipIngrassia. Principal Dancer Regina Willoughby will be returning to thestage for the first time in three years as the famed Sugar Plum Fairy,partnered by Soloist Journy Wilkes-Davis dancing the role of the SugarPlum Cavalier for the first time.
Local children scheduled to appear are: Mary Shuler, Addie Poittner,Brinley Hair, Avery Younghans, Delaney Beckley, Sophia Roberts, KateMoore, Zaria Brown, Sarah Anne Smoak, Lucy Moore, Kristen Skufca,Kaitlyn McFarland, Maggie Knotts, Lily Roberts, Miranda Carman, EmmaSims, Aaliyah Tucker, Emily Boyles, Audrey Buchanan, Ashlynn Russo,Alexandria Thomas, Greer Younghans, Liza Smoak, Grace Carman, HarrisYounghans.
For more information or to purchase tickets for this magical holiday performance, call 803-425-7676 extension 300 or visit www.fineartscenter.org. Tickets may be ordered by phone using VISA or MasterCard or at the FACbox office. The Fine Arts Center of Kershaw County is located at 810Lyttleton Street in Camden. Office hours are Monday through Wednesdayand Friday, 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., and Thursday 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
The Fine Arts Center is funded in part by the Frederick S. UptonFoundation and the South Carolina Arts Commission, which receivessupport from the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional fundingprovided by the City of Camden, Kershaw County, and BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina along with donations from businesses and individuals.
