The Nutcracker at Carnegie Performing Arts Center

An old fashioned holiday theme is the offering for this year's Nutcracker as presented by the Carnegie Performing Arts Center.   The Nutcracker is being performed for two weekends, beginning on Friday, December 8, and ending on Sunday, December 17.  Performances will be held at the Andrew Carnegie Music Hall, 300 Beechwood Avenue in
Carnegie.  Performances of the Nutcracker will be at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sundays.  Tickets are available at the door and are $18 for adults, $15 for seniors and children. 

Melina Kennelly of Dormont, a senior at Keystone Oaks, will dance the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy while Danielle Buttlar, a senior at Seton La Salle and from Mt. Lebanon, will dance the Queen of the Snow. Madisen Albert from Carnegie, an 8th grader at Carlynton High School, will portray the part of  Clara while Gavin Helbig, also of Carnegie, in the 8th grade and who attends Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School, will be the Nutcracker Prince thatcomes to life and takes Clara to the Candy Kingdom. Cori Sheppard of Mt. Lebanon, who is a senior at Mt. Lebanon High School will dance the role of Dew Drop Fairy. 

Over 60 dancers from many community dance schools ranging in age from 5 – adult round out the cast of swirling snowflakes and candy flowers.   Monica Ryan, choreographer and director of the Carnegie Performing Arts Center is celebrating the forty second anniversary production of the Nutcracker.

As in the past, there will be a raffle and Chinese Auction during the intermissions of the three acts of the Nutcracker.  For more information about the performances please call the Carnegie Performing Arts Center at (412) 279-8887 or access the website at www.carnegieperformingartscenter.com