“The Hip Hop Nutcracker” (www.hiphopnutcracker.com), a contemporary dance spectacle set to Tchaikovsky’s timeless music, is available to stream for Ordway audiences this holiday season. The live capture, filmed as a part of a partnership with PBS, will allow recurring and new patrons to experience this beloved holiday tradition at home, as theaters across the country remain closed. Tickets are $20 and go on sale at Ordway.org beginning on October 29 at 10 am. There is also a VIP experience available, featuring a 48-hour viewing opportunity, a post-show conversation with the creators, and an autographed show poster.
Directed and choreographed by Olivier-nominated Jennifer Weber, ”The Hip Hop Nutcracker” is a contemporary dance spectacle set to Tchaikovsky’s timeless music. A unique and joyful event, this evening-length production is performed by a supercharged cast of a dozen all-star dancers, a DJ, a violinist, and MC Kurtis Blow, one of hip hop’s founding fathers, who opens the show with a short set. The show is produced by the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) with Executive Producer, Eva Price, and co-commissioned by the United Palace of Cultural Arts.
Just like the original, in ” The Hip Hop Nutcracker,” Maria-Clara and the Nutcracker Prince go on a dream adventure battling a gang of mice, visiting the land of sweets, and learning the lessons of the holiday season. Innovative digital graffiti and visuals transform the landscape of E.T.A. Hoffmann’s beloved story from traditional 19th Century Germany to the vibrant, diverse sights and sounds of contemporary New York City. Through this re-mixed and re-imagined version of the classic, the dynamic performers of ”The Hip Hop Nutcracker” take us on a journey that celebrates love, community, and the magic of the holiday season.