Over the weekend, the University of Wyoming’s Department of Theatre and Dance presented “The Nutcracker” with a perfected Western twist, bringing in a crowd onstage and off.
The popular play by Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky is done all around the world, especially around Christmas time. Of the many reasons people continue to go see the classic ballet, one is every theater’s production is different.
“Many, many places that do the Nutcracker have a twist on the original ballet, they’ll have an approach to make it unique and different to have their stamp or statement on it,” Director Marsha Fay Knight said. Every four years the University puts on “The Nutcracker,” and Knight has personally directed the production eight times since 1988.
UW’s production team put a Western twist on the ballet to appeal to a Wyoming audience, situating the protagonist Clara in the Edward Ivinson mansion. In addition to the scenery, the costumes had a Western style as well.
“Starting in 2006, we decided to situate the ballet with a Western, local theme based on fantasy and some based on fact to situate the piece in Laramie,” Knight said. “Certainly, the Ivinsons did not have a young daughter named Clara when they spent those important years in Laramie, but we base in scenically very much on the bones and structure of the Ivinson mansion, Ivinson lawn and looking at the Ivinson house.”
Along with the Ivinson mansion and the Western-styled costumes, the brief scene with Mother Ginger and her Gingersnaps was perfectly consumed with a Western vibe and was one of the cutest scenes of the night. They equipped Mother Ginger with a large cowboy hat, flask and Western dress from which her Gingersnaps came out dressed up in white and red cowgirl outfits.
What made the Nutcracker unique is the various ages in the production. The dancers were aged from elementary school and up and everyone made their mark. All members pulled their weight, even if the Nutcrack Prince couldn’t hold his partner Clara up as high as he should have.
Practicing since late September, there is no doubt the members in the ballet were in shape. Their poise and athleticism allowed them to dance throughout the ballet with grace. They could all be easily compared to the athletes on campus with the amount of muscle seen during the production.
For as long and significant as “The Party” scene is, they could have made it more enjoyable and easier to follow. It felt as though there were the same amount of people on stage as there were off stage during “The Party.” The significant roles and a few extra children could have done the job and made the crowd feel less claustrophobic.
Regardless, the cast members’ hard work showed during the performance. From the orchestra, humor, Western style, props, visual aspects and special effects, there was a lot of heart and dedication put into “The Nutcracker.” It was the perfect production to put someone into the Christmas spirit and give a light and happy heart to all audience members.
