Engage dance theater to present “The Nutcracker” at Raue Center – Shaw Local

Engage Dance Theater and Raue Center for the Arts present “The Nutcracker” December 21-22 at 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM with a special sensory-friendly performance on December 20 at 6:00 PM

“From dancing to acting and even tumbling, Engage’s ‘Nutcracker’ has something for everyone. This year’s production includes the addition of several new elements to keep the show fresh and exciting for our audiences,” said Courtney Petrocci, Artistic Director of Engage Dance Theater. Engage Dance Theater’s “The Nutcracker” is an annual holiday tradition at the Raue Center, featuring professional guest artists formerly with Milwaukee Ballet & English National Ballet, as well as more professional sets and costumes from Milwaukee Ballet’s previous “Nutcracker.”

“The Nutcracker” is a co-production of Engage Dance Theater/Academy and Raue Center for the Arts.

Join Clara at her annual Christmas Eve party at the Staulbaum House and enjoy an evening of celebration, dancing and magic. As the party comes to an end, Clara sneaks downstairs to find her precious new Nutcracker doll and falls asleep dreaming of her wonderful evening. Clara, startled awake by a group of mischievous mice, goes on an exciting journey with Drosselmeyer and her precious Nutcracker.

Audiences will be moved to jump from their seats to battle the Mouse Queen and her horde of mice, have a snowball fight alongside Clara and a family of snowmen in the Land of Snow and Ice, and of course, dance along with the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier. This beautifully reimagined production of “The Nutcracker” features more than 100 performers and guest artists from renowned dance and theater companies across the United States, according to a Raue Center press release.

The sensory-friendly performance on December 20 will include a special one-hour presentation with open seating and a smaller house size with softer lighting and sound effects.

Tickets cost $32 ($20 for students 17 and under and seniors). Tickets for the sensory-friendly performance are $25 ($17 for students). Tickets can be purchased online at rauecenter.org or through the Box Office at 815-356-9212 or at 26 N. Williams St. in downtown Crystal Lake.