American Repertory Ballet’s 2016 Nutcracker Season will run November 19 through December 18 at venues across New Jersey: Union County Performing Arts Center in Rahway, McCarter Theatre in Princeton, Patriots Theater at the War Memorial in Trenton, South Orange Performing Arts Center in South Orange and State Theatre in New Brunswick. ARB’s Nutcracker is a holiday classic featuring Tchaikovsky’s score and a cast of over 100 performers, featuring the professional, international dancers of American Repertory Ballet and select students from Princeton Ballet School, the official school of ARB. A holiday tradition since 1964, ARB’s is the longest-running Nutcracker production in New Jersey and one of the longest consecutively running in the United States. If Planet readers know a Nutcracker professional dancer or a student dancer who also is a resident of Highland Park, please let us know.
American Repertory Ballet will open the Nutcracker season in New Jersey at Union County Performing Arts Center’s main stage in Rahway on Saturday, November 19 at 2 p.m. On Sunday, November 22 at 1 p.m., for the second time annually, ARB will present its Sensory-Friendly Production of Nutcracker. This abridged, one-hour, performance is especially for children and adults with special needs and is made possible by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders as part of the UC Sensory-Friendly Theatre series.
ARB’s Nutcracker will be in Mercer and Middlesex Counties at McCarter Theatre in Princeton for Thanksgiving weekend, at Patriots Theater at the War Memorial in Trenton on Saturday, December 3 and at State Theatre in New Brunswick Friday, December 16 through Sunday, December 18, including one School-Time Matinee performance. The public performances at State Theatre will feature a live orchestra and the Princeton GirlChoir, under the direction of Maestro Michael Pratt.
The School Time Matinee of Nutcracker at State Theatre is sold out, but educators can bring their students to see this festive production at South Orange Performing Arts Center. ARB’s run of Nutcracker at South Orange Performing Arts Center will be December 7-10 and features four School Time Matinee performances and three weekend performances for the public.
Terra Momo restaurant group will once again partner with ARB’s Nutcracker season. They will offer ARB’s Nutcracker ticket holders 20 percent off a meal at any of their three restaurants: Eno Terra in Kingston, Mediterra in Princeton, or Teresa Caffe in Princeton. On Saturday, November 19 between 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m., costumed characters will be greeting guests at Mediterra restaurant.
American Repertory Ballet’s Nutcracker 2016
Union County Performing Arts Center
1601 Irving Street
Rahway, NJ 07065
(732) 499-8226
November 19, 2016 at 2 p.m.
November 20, 2015 at 1 p.m. (Sensory Friendly performance)
McCarter Theatre
91 University Place
Princeton, NJ 08540
(609) 258-2787
November 23, 2016 at 7:30 p.m.
November 25, 2016 at 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
November 26, 2016 at 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
Patriots Theater at the War Memorial
1 Memorial Drive
Trenton, NJ 08608
(877) 987-6487
www.arballet.org/TrentonNutcracker
December 3, 2016 at 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.
South Orange Performing Arts Center
1 SOPAC Way
South Orange, NJ 07079
http://www.sopacnow.org/nutcracker/
December 7, 2016 at 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. (School Time Matinees)
December 8, 2016 at 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. (School Time Matinees)
December 9, 2016 at 6 p.m.
December 10, 2016 at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.
State Theatre *Featuring Live Orchestra and Choir*
15 Livingston Avenue
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
(732) 246-7469
December 17, 2016 at 7:30pm
December 18, 2016 at 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.
December 19, 2016 at 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.
For more information about American Repertory Ballet please visit: www.arballet.org