Cast announced for New Vic Theatre’s reimagining of The Nutcracker
Casting has been announced for New Vic Theatre’s reimagining of Christmas classic The Nutcracker.
The Staffordshire venue will present The Nutcracker: A Christmas Fairytale, a new staging of the much-loved tale as a play, from 17 November 2023 – 27 January 2024.
Making up the cast areFranky Attard as Marie/Ensemble, Edwin Cheng as Nutcracker Prince/Ensemble, Clara Darcy as Lemon Meringue Mayor/Bonbonviller/Snowflake/Ensemble, Matthew Ganley as King Konstantin/Father/Ensemble, Austin Garrett as Escaping Citizen/Teddy/Bonbonviller/Ensemble, Amy Harrison , as Rag Doll/Snowflake/Bonbonviller/Ensemble, Kaitlin Howard as Mausrink the Mouse Queen/Ensemble, Abigail Middleton as Fritz/Ensemble, Maeve Nolan as Sugar Plum Fairy/Ensemble, Adam Scotland as Glace Cherry Guard/Ensemble, Kate Spencer as Nastasia/Queen Clementina/Ensemble and Peter Watts as Drosselmeyer/Ensemble.
They will be joined by musicians Leila Marshall on Flute/Piccolo, Benjamin Pinto on Clarinet, and Farhaan Shah as Show Musical Director and on the Violin.
Audiences are invited to join the inquisitive Marie as she ventures with the Nutcracker Prince through spun-sugar snowflakes, gingerbread elves and chocolate drops to the Kingdom of Sweets where toys come alive and an enchanted spell must be broken. But is it all just a dream?
It is adapted by New Vic Artistic Director Theresa Heskins alongside James Atherton with movement direction and choreography by Beverley Norris-Edmunds, set design by Laura Willstead, costume design by Lis Evans, lighting design by Daniella Beattie, sound design by Alex Day, fight direction by Philip d’Orléans, casting associate Anji Carroll CDG, assistant director Polly Wain, costume supervision by Rebecca Cartwright, company stage manager Steve Hall, deputy stage manager Kate Wilcock, assistant stage manager Jacob Anderson.
New Vic Artistic Director Theresa Heskins said: “We’re combining Tchaikovsky’s music with a stronger narrative architecture to create a play for the stage. The composer spent joyous family Christmasses with his beloved sister Sasha at her family home in Ukraine. That changed for him whilst he was writing The Nutcracker, and such a shift in family circumstance and Christmas traditions forms the starting point for our story. We’ve also been inspired by the experiences of those who have left their homes to make a new life in Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire, especially people who have arrived from Ukraine this past year and become a valued part of our culture and our community. Ours is a story of love and loss; of cultural traditions new and old, and of family and of home.
“Our festive production is the high point of our year, and such a privilege to welcome thousands of families through the doors to enjoy a special celebration that they’ll fondly remember for years to come. We’re making a piece of theatre that will appeal to all ages, and to all tastes – a thrilling adventure full of magic, stunning music, dancing, fighting and spectacle.”
For more information and tickets, visit newvictheatre.org.uk
