Segerstrom Center for the Arts Announces Casting for American Ballet Theatre's Production of THE NUTCRACKER

Segerstrom Center for the Arts has announced casting of 46 young dancers in American Ballet Theatre's production of The Nutcracker performed December 13 through 22 in Segerstrom Hall. Forty-two students from the American Ballet Theatre William J. Gillespie School at Segerstrom Center, plus four additional talented young dancers from Orange County, will perform alongside the world renowned ABT company, in this classic holiday show. The opportunity to perform in this production and others in the Center's International Dance Series is one of the very special benefits of studying in the ABT Gillespie School. Classes follow the American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum, giving young students the finest professional training possible and unparalleled access to renowned dance companies and performing arts experiences.

Principal children include Logan Cooper and Juliet Garbacz as Clara, Salvatore Lodi and Chase Rogers as Nutcracker Prince, Andrew Dove and Benjamin Marshall as Fritz, and Bjorn Larsen-Gill and Grier McLarand as Little Mouse.

ABT Principal casting, includes Hee Seo as Clara, the Princess and Cory Stearns as The Nutcracker Prince on opening night, December 13. Additional casts include Misty Copeland, Sarah Lane, Isabella Boylston, Christine Shevchenko, Thomas Forster, Blaine Hoven, Joo Won Ahn and Aran Bell.

Complete Children's Casting for The Nutcracker at Segerstrom Center for the Arts:

Artists and program are subject to change.

Vanessa Kirstein - Aliso Viejo

Salvatore Lodi - Altadena

Juliet Garbacz - Corona del Mar

Sophia Cowell - Costa Mesa

Ava Soleil Hernandez - Costa Mesa

Haven Lee - Eastvale

Sophia Silva - Garden Grove

Emma Weisenberger - Garden Grove

Ava Bonneau - Huntington Beach

Alyson Kim - Huntington Beach

Benjamin Marshall - Huntington Beach

Karis Oishi - Huntington Beach

Abbie Richman - Huntington Beach

Charissa Catanus - Irvine

Kellen Hayag - Irvine

Samara Singh - La Palma

Tatiana Burns - Ladera Ranch

Chase Rogers - Ladera Ranch

Katarina Isakov - Laguna Beach

Hayleigh Martino - Laguna Beach

Logan Cooper - Long Beach

Bjorn Larsen-Gill - Long Beach

Aria Kamei-Oser - Los Angeles

Megan Bartz - Newport Beach

Matisse Braun - Newport Beach

Alexandra Caamano - Newport Beach

Koko Chang - Newport Beach

Emily Engel - Newport Beach

Ava Joseph - Newport Beach

Grier McLarand - Newport Beach

Alexandra Orradre - Newport Beach

Ophelia Owens - Newport Beach

Stella Stulik - Newport Beach

Brooke Treska - Newport Beach

Autumn Dym - Newport Coast

Sophia Bullock - Sam Clemente

Lydia Jones - San Clemente

Jocelyn Nang - Santa Ana

Andrew Dove - Tustin

Phineas Kim - Tustin

Elizabeth Tamang - Tustin

Sumitra Tamang - Tustin

Emma Tassev - Tustin

Katie Donaldson - Walpole

Matilda Mae Simmons - Yorba Linda

Single tickets for American Ballet Theatre's The Nutcracker start at $29 and are now available online at SCFTA.org, at the Box Office at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa or by calling (714) 556-2787. For inquiries about group ticket discounts for 10 or more, call the Group Services office at (714) 755-0236.

The Nutcracker is a beloved holiday story based on The Nutcracker and the King of Mice written by E.T.A. Hoffmann and set to a magical score by Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky that will be performed live by Pacific Symphony. The Los Angeles Times declared Ratmansky's production "an unreserved classic" and "ravishing and clever enough to inspire multiple viewings." Scenery and costumes are by award-winning designer Richard Hudson (Disney's The Lion King) and lighting is by Jennifer Tipton.

The 2019 engagement of The Nutcracker continues an on-going relationship between Segerstrom Center and American Ballet Theatre. The Company has appeared at the Center since 1987. Important engagements include the world premiere of Mikhail Baryshnikov's Swan Lake in 1988, the West Coast premiere of Kevin Mckenzie's new production of The Sleeping Beauty in 2007 and the world premiere of a new production of Firebird by Alexei Ratmansky in 2012. In 1999, ABT's production of Le Corsaire was taped in Segerstrom Hall for broadcast on PBS' Dance In America, winning an Emmy Award. In 2003, The Dream was also taped at the Center for broadcast on Dance In America. In 2008, the Center and ABT co-commissioned Twyla Tharp's Rabbit and Rogue, receiving its world premiere in New York and West Coast premiere at the Center. Two more recent world premieres have also taken place including the 2015 presentation of ABT's new production of The Sleeping Beauty, as choreographed by Marius Petipa with staging and additional choreography by Ratmansky, and 2017's Whipped Cream, also choreographed by Ratmansky, with design and costumes by pop-surrealist Mark Ryden. ABT's opulent new production Harlequinade, newly choreographed by Ratmansky, received its West Coast Premiere in January 2019. ABT will premiere another full-length production choreographed by Ratmansky on March 5, 2020 at Segerstrom Center, inspired by the Greek romance novel Callirhoe by Chariton with music by Aram Khachaturian, arranged by Philip Feeney, and sets and costumes by Jean-Marc Puissant.

The Center applauds special underwriting from Connie and Peter Spenuzza, the Huang Family Foundation and Tiffany & Co. The Center's International Dance Series is made possible by the Audrey Steele Burnand Endowed Fund for International Dance and The Segerstrom Foundation Endowment for Great Performances. Segerstrom Center for the Arts thanks its corporate partners including Kia Motors America, Official Automotive Partner and United Airlines, Official Airline. COAST Magazine is the official media partner of the Dance Season.

Photo Credit: Doug Gifford