Leaps and Bounds

Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre’s beloved holiday production, The Nutcracker: A Tale from the Bayou, has been moved from its longtime River Center Theatre venue to the Raising Cane’s River Center Arena due to much-needed renovations underway at the Theatre. But to the artistic enterprise of Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre, which has been dancing since 1960, the two-year displacement represents less of an obstacle than it does an opportunity to creatively fill the massive new space.

“It’s actually been quite fun because of the possibilities,” said Molly Buchmann, one of BRBT’s artistic directors. “We have so many people who’ve been doing The Nutcracker for so many years that we can make it work.” 

Buchmann, fellow artistic director Sharon Mathews, and The Nutcracker’s crew from across South Louisiana have been working on the adaptation for two years now. Aside from the huge increase in available seating, the team has tackled a symphony of creative challenges; the biggest of which involves the $100,000 in sets the production has amassed over the course of nearly thirty years. “We can’t use any of our sets,” said Buchmann. “We’re attempting to use technology to create the art.”

On that front, Buchmann promises such innovations as intelligent lights, a Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra that will be visible to the audience, new choreography to fit the space, and a few other surprises.

She also mentioned that the arena doesn’t have the rigging to support flying dancers, which poses a little problem for a Nutcracker production, but necessity is the mother of invention. “We’re devising new ways to get Clara to travel to the different kingdoms,” said Buchmann. “We have solved that problem: she’s not going to fly on a balloon, she’s going some other way. You’ll have to come see.” 

This year’s production won’t be all about the changes, of course. The show itself continues to evolve, no matter the venue. Buchmann says this year’s company of dancers is especially strong, with top-notch principal dancers including Dance Theatre of Harlem alumnus Alison Stroming as the Sugar Plum Fairy; and her Cavalier, Aaron Smyth, formerly of Joffrey Ballet and featured in the new big-budget Disney production The Nutcracker and the Four Realms.  

“At the basis of it always is beautiful music and beautiful dancing,” said Buchmann. “Baton Rouge has come to expect a beautiful Nutcracker, and we are not going to let them down.” 

December 15 & 16 at the Raising Cane’s River Center Arena. 2 pm and 6 pm each day. $25–$59.  batonrougeballet.org.