Stage Door News

Toronto: The National Ballet of Canada announces casting for “The Nutcracker”

Thursday, November 14, 2024

Hope Muir, Joan and Jerry Lozinski Artistic Director of The National Ballet of Canada, shared today the casting for The Nutcracker, Toronto’s most joyful holiday experience. The Nutcracker is onstage December 6 – 31 at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto.

The opening performance on December 6 at 7:00 pm will feature Principal Dancers Christopher Gerty and Heather Ogden in the roles of Peter/The Nutcracker and the Sugar Plum Fairy. Principal Dancer Svetlana Lunkina will dance the role of the Snow Queen, Principal Dancer Ben Rudisin will dance the role of Uncle Nikolai and Rehearsal Director Stephanie Hutchison will dance the role of Baba.

Making their debuts this season are Principal Dancer Spencer Hack and Second Soloist Keaton Leier in the role of Peter/The Nutcracker. Second Soloists Emerson Dayton and Brenna Flaherty debut as the Sugar Plum Fairy and Corps de Ballet member Monika Haczkiewicz will make her debut as the Snow Queen.

The National Ballet has brought the joy of dance to over 113,000 community members for free since 1986 with Share the Magic. Through this programme, the National Ballet has invited 1,600 community members, who may not otherwise have access to a live performance, to a special presentation of The Nutcracker on December 5.

The Nutcracker is choreographed by James Kudelka, features Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s timeless score, set and costume designs by  Santo Loquasto and lighting design by Jennifer Tipton.

Congratulations to VIVA Toronto Singers on their 25th anniversary! For the past 25 years their beautiful voices have accompanied The National Ballet of Canada Orchestra during the snow scene, making it even more magical. About VIVA Toronto Singers

Casting:

Peter/The Nutcracker:

Christopher Gerty (December 6, 11, 17, 19 at 7:00 pm/December 8 at 1:00 pm)

Larkin Miller (December 7 at 2:00 pm/December 8, 15 at 5:30 pm/December 18 at 7:00 pm/December 24 at 11:00 am)

Siphesihle November (December 7, 10, 13 at 7:00 pm/December 15 at 1:00 pm/December 22 at 5:30 pm/December 28 at 2:00 pm)

Naoya Ebe (December 12, 14, 21 at 7:00 pm/December 29 at 1:00 pm)

Kota Sato (December 14 at 2:00 pm/December 24 at 3:00 pm/December 28 at 7:00 pm)

Spencer Hack* (December 20, 27 at 7:00 pm/December 22, 31 at 1:00 pm)

Keaton Leier* (December 21, 27 at 2:00 pm/December 29 at 5:30 pm)

The Sugar Plum Fairy:

Heather Ogden (December 6, 11, 17, 19 at 7:00 pm/December 8 at 1:00 pm)

Genevieve Penn Nabity (December 7 at 2:00 pm/December 8, 15 at 5:30 pm/December 18 at 7:00 pm/December 24 at 11:00 am)

Tirion Law (December 7, 10, 13 at 7:00 pm/December 15 at 1:00 pm/December 22 at 5:30 pm/December 28 at 2:00 pm)

Calley Skalnik (December 12, 14, 21 at 7:00 pm/December 29 at 1:00 pm)

Brenna Flaherty* (December 14 at 2:00 pm/December 24 at 3:00 pm/December 28 at 7:00 pm)

Emerson Dayton* (December 20, 27 at 7:00 pm/December 22, 31 at 1:00 pm)

Koto Ishihara (December 21, 27 at 2:00 pm/December 29 at 5:30 pm)

Snow Queen:

Svetlana Lunkina (December 6, 11, 13, 17 at 7:00 pm/December 8 at 1:00 pm/December 24 at 3:00 pm)

Alexandra MacDonald (December 7 at 2:00 pm/December 8, 15 at 5:30 pm/December 18, 27 at 7:00 pm)

Calley Skalnik (December 7, 10, 19 at 7:00 pm/December 22 at 5:30 pm)

Chelsy Meiss (December 12, 21 at 7:00 pm/December 15, 29 at 1:00 pm)

Isabella Kinch (December 14, 21, 28 at 2:00 pm/December 24 at 11:00 am)

Genevieve Penn Nabity (December 14, 20, 28 at 7:00 pm/December 22 at 1:00 pm)

Monika Haczkiewicz* (December 27 at 2:00 pm/December 29, 31 at 1:00 pm)

Baba:

Stephanie Hutchison+ (December 6, 11, 12, 18, 19, 21, 28 at 7:00 pm/December 8, 22, 29 at 1:00 pm/December 14, 27 at 2:00 pm/December 15 at 5:30 pm/December 24 at 3:00 pm)

Chelsy Meiss (December 7 at 2:00 pm/December 8 at 5:30 pm/December 14, 17, 20, 27 at 7:00 pm/December 24 at 11:00 am/December 31 at 1:00 pm)

Selene Guerrero-Trujillo (December 7, 10, 13 at 7:00 pm/December 15 at 1:00 pm/December 21, 28 at 2:00 pm/December 22, 29 at 5:30 pm)

Uncle Nikolai:

Ben Rudisin (December 6, 11, 17, 19 at 7:00 pm/December 8, 22 at 1:00 pm)

Spencer Hack (December 7 at 2:00 pm/December 8, 15 at 5:30 pm/December 18 at 7:00 pm/December 24 at 11:00 am)

Jason Ferro (December 7, 10, 13, 28 at 7:00 pm/December 15 at 1:00 pm/December 22 at 5:30 pm/December 28 at 2:00 pm)

Donald Thom (December 12, 14, 20, 21, 27 at 7:00 pm/December 29, 31 at 1:00 pm)

Josh Hall (December 14, 21, 27 at 2:00 pm/December 24 at 3:00 pm/December 29 at 5:30 pm)

* Debut

+Guest Artist

All casting is subject to change.

For tickets visit: national.ballet.ca.

Photo: Genevieve Penn Nabity as the Sugar Plum Fairy. © Karolina Kuras.