♥ a night at the nutcracker.

last friday, the boys and i put on our most festive outfits and ventured into the city

for a magical evening at the cutler majestic theater!

we were invited to see the jose mateo ballet theatre's 28th annual production 

of the nutcracker, and my friends, it did not disappoint!

i have seen the nutcracker before, but could honestly not remember what the storyline was,

so it really was as if i were seeing it for the first time all over again :) plus, we had little henry 

with us, so it added another element of child-like wonder to the whole experience.

henry's favorite part of the show was before it started and during intermission

 when he could run up and down the aisles at top speed.

 that child has so much energy. he spun my skirt into a rosette while sitting in

 my lap during the show! he also enjoyed calling out, "tree, tree" at the gigantic christmas

 tree on stage. and flirting with the girls seated in front of us.

did you ever notice how there are no words in the nutcracker? 

well, there were that night! my apologies if anyone reading was sitting near us!

i could not get over just how "majestic" the cuter majestic theater is (see better pictures

on my friend, feda's blog!) what a beautiful place to watch something beautiful!

nick and i earned a parenting high-five that night because we made it through the whole

performance without throwing in the towel and taking henry home! ** yay!

now, onto the show...

all images via jose mateo ballet theatre

hailed as an "intimate, dance-focused and affordable holiday experience," the jose mateo

 ballet theatre's production of the nutcracker is just that. 

unlike the boston ballet's rendition of the nutcracker, this one feels like a secret that you've 

been let in on--a pared down version that contains all of the richness and quality of a

large scale production, but on a much smaller level.

the sets, which are new from set designer, laura c. mcpherson, provide a colorful,

cozy and quaint backdrop to the timeless tale and are the first thing you notice as

dancers fill the stage.

 the costumes, (some of which debuted this season!) provide context, shimmer,

 graceful movement across the stage.  i was particularly smitten with these

tulle skirts:

the children in this nutcracker were plenty. their energy was palpable and they were

a true joy to watch on stage. over 200 children were cast as partygoers and mice throughout

 the play.

did you know that jose mateo ballet theatre's nutcracker is the only production to hold 

auditions for dancers outside of its school ?? which means that key characters --like clara-

 are played by dancers in your community. LOVE!

"for the past 30 years, cuban-born founder/artistic director, jose mateo has developed his

unique vision to create a new model for an inclusive and socially responsible ballet

organization that engages today's diverse audiences." (source)

is there anything more beautiful than a theatrical performance that celebrates diversity

at every turn? i think not. go see the nutcracker at the strand theater in dorchester for 

the remainder of the season. (december 11-20) 

you're welcome :)