Long Beach Ballet to perform in Pasadena Dec. 21-23

The Long Beach Ballet will astound audiences this December with multiple performances of The Nutcracker at the Long Beach Convention Center on Saturday December 17th,, and Sunday December 18th and at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium on December 21th through Friday, December 23rd. The presentation will burst with additional surprise treats bringing this classic tale to an explosive finale.

Celebrating the 29th Anniversary of the Holiday Classic, the Long Beach Ballet’s Artistic Director, David Wilcox, pulled all the stops! This production boasts a full symphony orchestra, a flying sleigh, a real live horse, on-stage pyrotechnics, and a cast of over 200. The enchanting scenery was created by former Disney designers Elliot Hessayon and Scott Schaffer, the detailed costumes designed by Australian artist Adrian Clark, and special effects by renowned magician Franz Harary.

This year, the enchanting production surpasses all expectations by incorporating the South Coast Children's Chorale, under the direction of Emily Dyer. For the first time in 15 years, Southern California will once again see and hear The Nutcracker exactly as Tchaikovsky wrote it, with angelic young voices blending harmoniously with full symphony orchestra.

“I spent the last 29 years perfecting The Nutcracker. From the moment you sit down till the moment it ends there’s not a single second that’s boring. Plus, this year we have the Children’s choir, which was the missing piece to the puzzle. Tchaikovsky wrote it with the children’s harmonies and normally productions replace them with synthesizers; we don’t and that’s what sets us apart. The way we introduce the choir is going to be a surprise, it’s going to be unexpected and very theatrical,” explains Wilcox.

Wilcox is excited to present a special rendition of the beloved Holiday tale. A former ballet virtuoso himself, he now brings his power, strength, grace and artistry to the production which features new surprises and classic entertainment.

“I like using the beauty of the classical art form of ballet, which has taken 500 years to develop to the level that it is today, to form a production that’s enticing and exciting. I have pyrotechnics, I have magic; I’ve got everything I can think of to make it thrilling. This production is not just for people who like ballet. You can hate ballet and you’ll still like this production,” he adds.

The Long Beach Ballet's Nutcracker has been seen by millions of people worldwide, including live audiences totaling more than 400,000 in Long Beach, 70,000 in Pasadena, hundreds of thousands throughout Asia (as performed by the Chinese Guangzhou Ballet), and millions more on television.

Show times are Saturday, December 17th, at 2:00 pm and 7:30 pm, and Sunday, December 18th, at 12:00 noon and 4 p.m., at the Long Beach Terrace Theater.

Show times are Wednesday, December 21st, at 7:30 pm, Thursday, December 22nd at 7:30 pm, and Friday, December 23rd, at 2 p.m., at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.

Tickets can be purchased through the Long Beach Ballet “Hotline” at (877) 852-3177. You can also buy tickets at all TicketMaster outlets, the Long Beach Performing Rights Center and the Pasadena Civic Auditorium’s Main Box Office. Tickets are $24.00 to $48.00 with a special VIP Package available at $85.00 for adults ($75.00 for seniors, and $60.00 for children), which includes choice Center Orchestra seating, parking, souvenir, admission to the VIP lounge during intermission, and a backstage pass. Discounts are available for groups of 15 or more. To charge by phone, please call TicketMaster at (800) 745-3000 or http://www.ticketmaster.com/. The Long Beach Performing Arts Center Main Box Office is located at 300 E. Ocean Boulevard and is open from 10:00am to 6:00pm Monday through Friday and 12:00pm to 4:00pm on Saturday.

The Pasadena Civic Auditorium’s Main Box Office is located at 300 E. Green St., Pasadena. Advanced ticket sales will be available on Fridays from 10am - 6pm. Event Days the Box Office will open 3 hours prior to the first scheduled performance.