European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 17, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                A Nutcracker remains Sweet at Box office by Diane Haithman los Angeles times it s a 100-year-old russian Ballet that has become As american As family values a the tale of a Little girl and her Soldier doll. Clara Falls asleep on Christmas eve and dreams of a Battle with a mouse King followed by an escape to a Candy coated fantasy land of snowflakes dancing dolls and sugarplum. Her wooden Soldier meanwhile has vanquished the rodent and been transformed into a handsome Prince. The Ballet is the Nutcracker a suite first choreographed by lev Ivanov to music by Peter Lulich Tchaikovsky for St. Petersburg s kirov Ballet. It is the Only Ballet Many audiences will Ever see. In the United states More than 230 productions of the Ballet will be danced a with an expected draw of nearly $46 million in Box office Revenue a during Nutcracker s 100th anniversary year according to dance Magazine. The Ballet is also popular in Europe. For a partial listing of Holiday performances see the classical listings in on stage on pages 22-23. Quot i be been doing it so Many years now it s really part of my Holiday season Quot said Evelyn Cisneros a san Francisco Ballet principal dancer and Veteran sugarplum fairy. Quot we initially think Well it s sort of a drag because we do it every season so Many years in a Row but for me what makes it worthwhile Are the children. When you see the Light in their eyes and their fascination at the magic of the  but for Ballet companies nationwide it s not just magic but Money that makes Nutcracker Sweet. While the Christmas Ballet never won wide popularity in Russia dance observers say it has ranked As the favorite in the United states since the late George Balanchine Veteran of the kirov created a new version for new York City Ballet in 1954. Los Angeles theater impresario James a. Doolittle recalls booking that production into los Angeles Creek theater in the late 1950s and Early 60s in the dead of summer because the Christmas dates were taken by new York a and All the performances sold out. Quot it was really a sensation Quot he recalled. For Many american companies an annual Nutcracker is the key to survival. While the main Atlanta releasing corp Patricia Barker danced the role of the adult Clara in the movie. Tis the seas Atlanta Rolon sing corp the Christmas party scene from Carroll Ballard s 1986 movie Quot Nutcracker the motion picture Quot performed by the Pacific Northwest Ballet. Boon is ticket sales the Ballet also draws corporate donors eager to associate their name with. Wholesome family fun. Anri because the Ballet offers roles of varying difficulty a from challenging solos Down to slots in the mouse army a it provides a first exposure to performing for Young dancers and can lure tuition paying students into company affiliated Ballet schools. According to a Survey in 1991 by dance Usa a Washington based National service organization for professional dance Nutcracker revenues average 40 percent of annual income for companies that perform the Ballet. As a Rule the smaller the company the bigger the percentage. Audiences Are fairly indiscriminate says Sandra Kimberling president of the music Center operating company which has booked nutcrackers from the Joffrey Ballet the los Angeles classical Ballet and this year the kirov Ballet into los Angeles Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Quot this year we had lots of Calls saying we want to buy tickets to a Nutcracker Are you doing one any Nutcracker Quot Kimberling said. Quot for us Nutcracker is important but it s not the Cash cow that it is for Many companies and that s really because we Don t have a Home theater where we can run five or six weeks straight Quot said . Conner executive director of the Joffrey Ballet. The Joffrey used to perform Nutcracker at new York s City Center but last year could Only Atlanta releasing corp Vanessa Sharp the Young Clara admires her Nutcracker. Secure pre thanksgiving Dales which resulted in a huge loss for the company. This year the new York based Joffrey will not perform Nutcracker i the c Ity it Calls Home. But the company continues to tour its production with stops planned in Minneapolis and Washington s Kennedy Center. The Ballet s 100th anniversary has led to More intense attention than usual. For example the Ballet met in Columbus Ohio is restating Nutcracker in the style of Imperial Russia circa 1b92, under a Grant from nationwide insurance co. A and trucking the entire show to Anchorage , a new addition to its touring schedule. The los Angeles classical Ballet is touting its 10th anniversary in conjunction with the 100th anniversary of Nutcracker. And in a splashy joint Effort the los Angeles music Center and the Orange county performing arts Center have brought in the company for which the Holiday Ballet was originally created the kirov in the troupe s first Ever . Nutcracker engagement. In an essay written for this year s new York City Ballet Nutcracker program Tim Scholl professor of russian at mount Holyoke College Points out  in 1h92 St. Petersburg critics were not enchanted by the Ballet s premiere in Moscow. They Wen troubled that Many Lead roles were for children numbed by lengthy exposition and were deeply annoyed that the season s visiting italian Ballerina Antonietta Dell Tracq did t show up until tin second act which because of late curtain times in that Era and locale was Well after 1 1 3 . Is Boll s own opinion of the ultimate Christmas Ballet is Well Humbug. Quot is it a Good Ballet it s a question any resp i table dance historian  Toui h with a 1 foot pole Quot he said pleasantly during a Rei ent phone interview. Quot from the standpoint of people who go to a lot of Ballet they hate it. We All know Why. Nothing happens in the first a t. There s a lot in the second act but you have to wait through this horrible Christmas party so it s sort of a snooze from the perspective of people who love dam e. Quot and structurally it s a Nightmare. And there in t any really Good motivation in tins Ballet Lor the plot. It s not like sleeping Beauty say where you have a Poprick whip h leads into a vision Siene and ends up with a great wedding at the end it just this sort of dream sequent e. So Tor a Christmas Bauble its really perfect arid i  Lily people in am Iii a have no problem with it but As a Ballet ,. It s just a Little  do it Ember 17, 1992 stripes Magazine