Nutcracker Memories:
Claire’s Rat Queen Delivers a Hard-Hitting Performance
This season marks the 15th anniversary of American Midwest Ballet’s The Nutcracker, created by Erika Overturff and first performed in 2010. To celebrate, we’ve been asking our dancers what makes this ballet memorable for them:
Claire Goodwillie: “The partnering in the battle scene involving the Rat Queen and Nutcracker is very athletic and dramatic. One of the more daring moments requires the dancer playing the Rat Queen to run from offstage and hurl herself onto the dancer playing the Nutcracker, who is standing still in the center of the stage.
“The last time I portrayed the role of Rat Queen, which was my tenth year in the role, I decided to be extra daring and jumped at my partner (the always charming Casey Kelley) from VERY far away. Unfortunately, that meant the spacing between us was a bit different than normal, and I somehow accidentally punched him in the face! (To his credit, he handled it very well and continued as normal.) Perhaps there is such a thing as getting too comfortable in a role!”
The Nutcracker is coming Saturday, November 23, to the Hoff Center (sold out; call the box office at 712 890-5600 if you would like to be wait-listed) and Friday through Sunday, December 13-15, to Omaha’s Orpheum Theater (great seats still available while supplies last.) Join us, and make your own memories!
Tickets are subject to availability. All programming is subject to change.