Netflix Star Maitreyi Ramakrishnan to Make Debut as a Cannon Doll in THE NUTCRACKER at The National Ballet of Canada

The National Ballet of Canada has announced this season's lineup of Cannon Dolls for The Nutcracker. Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, star of Netflix's Never Have I Ever and Disney's Turning Red, will make her debut as a Cannon Doll on the opening night of The Nutcracker, December 10 at 7:00 pm.

Joining the National Ballet onstage as Cannon Dolls this season are Olympic & World Championship Hockey Players Sarah Nurse and Renata Fast, Gold Medal Olympic Rower Sydney Payne and teammate Kristina Walker, Actors Graham Greene, Julie Nolke and Gina Louise Phillips, CBC Radio Hosts Tom Power, Ismaila Alfa and Elamin Abdelmahmoud, ETALK Anchor Tyrone Edwards and ETALK Reporter Chloe Wilde and Global News' Susan Hay.

Past Cannon Dolls have included Astronaut Chris Hadfield, former Toronto Raptors Kyle Lowry and Matt Thomas, Toronto Maple Leafs Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, Olympic Gold Medalist Figure Skater Tessa Virtue, Actress Sarah Gadon, members of ARKELLS, Comedian Rick Mercer, Author Emma Donoghue, Musician Brendan Canning, Former Mayor of Toronto Barbara Hall and Mayor of Toronto John Tory.

Celebrity walk-on roles are a long-standing tradition with Nutcrackers all over the world. In the National Ballet's production, the cameo roles are Cannon Dolls, colourfully costumed Petrouchka dolls who shoot a cannon into the audience in Act I. To date, the National Ballet has invited 1,080 Canadian luminaries and personalities to appear onstage in the coveted roles.

This season, the National Ballet has invited colleagues in the Toronto Arts and Dance Community as well as Community Partners onstage as Cannon Dolls.

This Season's Celebrity Cannon Dolls:

December 9 at 7:00 pm

Share the Magic

CBC Metro Morning's Host Ismaila Alfa

December 10 at 2:00 pm

Opening Night

CBC q's Host Tom Power and CBC Pop Chat's Host Elamin Abdelmahmoud

December 10 at 7:00 pm

Star of Netflix's Never Have I Ever and Disney's Turning Red Maitreyi Ramakrishnan

December 11 at 1:00 pm

Actor Graham Greene

December 13 at 7:00 pm

Global News' Susan Hay

December 16 at 7:00 pm

Actor on Run the Burbs and Award-Winning YouTube Content Creator Julie Nolke and Actor on Workin' Moms Gina Louise Phillips

December 17 at 2:00 pm

ETALK Anchor Tyrone Edwards and ETALK Reporter Chloe Wilde

December 20 at 2:00 pm

Gold Medal Olympic Rower Sydney Payne and Olympic Rower Kristina Walker

December 22 at 2:00 pm

Hamilton Tiger Cats Linebacker Simoni Lawrence and Offensive Lineman Chris Van Zeyl

December 22 at 7:00 pm

Olympic & World Championship Hockey Players Sarah Nurse and Renata Fast

The Nutcracker is choreographed by James Kudelka with music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, set and costume design by Santo Loquasto and lighting design by Jennifer Tipton.

This season, there will be no The Nutcracker story time. Ticketholders can enjoy a video featuring Principal Dancer Tina Pereira reading the story of The Nutcracker. The video will be played in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre.

Many shows are already sold out but a few seats are still available.