Dancers — and lots of them — are needed for the holiday production.
Sara Cramer-Sherbina got her first role in “The Nutcracker” ballet as a party guest when she was just 9 years old.
She’s now providing the same opportunity to local dancers.
“I’d grow over the years from part to part, and it was a definite motivating factor,” Cramer-Sherbina said of her experience with the storied production. “Part of it was being part of something big, watching the advanced dancers and hoping to be there (someday) and the camaraderie.”
Now with her business partner Emil McCulloch, Cramer-Sherbina is staging a full-length production of “The Nutcracker” at the Bainbridge Performing Arts Playhouse. Auditions begin in early August with performances in December.
The pair opened Bainbridge Ballet two years ago, and also founded the nonprofit Olympic Performing Group 18 months ago, to organize performances, starting with, but not limited to, dance.
Last summer’s performance of “Solaris” with choreographer Michael Falatico was the troupe’s first production.
“(OPG is) a vehicle for the community to be involved artistically,” Cramer-Sherbina said. “I’d like to bring more dancers together.”
There are few chances for dancers from the community’s different schools to collaborate, she said.
Cramer-Sherbina believes this may be the first time a full-length production of the ballet has been staged on the island. In her 25-year professional dance career, she has danced in many different Nutcracker productions and seen performances by the major ballet companies.
While some may say the Nutcracker is overdone — the annual moneymaker for every ballet company — it has a charm that draws audiences to see it every Christmas season.
“It’s new for each generation,” Cramer-Sherbina said.
She says the production will follow the Nutcracker’s traditional storyline, but differ from what audiences would see at Pacific Northwest Ballet.
The OPG production will include about 60 professional and amateur dancers performing ballet, tap, jazz and ballroom styles, and even a few gymnasts. Cramer-Sherbina envisions the Russian Dance done in jazz and the Spanish dance in ballroom dancing.
Actors — with only minimal dancing required — will play an active part to flesh out roles with more personality than in the typical Nutcracker production, in which characters are more prop than protagonist.
Since there are no lines, the focus will be on finding actors who can improvise and develop their characters.
Instead of nameless, anonymous party guests, one guest will be “a little full of himself and clumsy.” One of the mice will be a little scared and have to be pulled into the fray by fellow mice in a Stomp-style dance.
Cramer-Sherbina deliberately included various dance types to be able to choose the top candidates from each genre.
“(It was) partly to increase the level of expertise in it,” she said, “so we don”t need 60 (ballet) dancers at a high level. We can get the best of each discipline from the community.”
Having done costuming and set construction and choreographed parts of the Nutcracker for various productions, Cramer-Sherbina’s new challenges are marketing and searching for sponsors.
For a shoestring performance relying heavily on volunteers, Cramer-Sherbina estimates the cost at $16,000, but a slightly larger budget of $20,000 would put the show into a more comfortable zone.
“(Volunteers) are a gift and you hate to impose too much,” she said. “You don”t want to overuse your welcome.”
Cramer-Sherbina hopes the mixed-dance staging will have more appeal for island audiences.
“From my point of view, this community likes to see variety,” Cramer-Sherbina said. “Because they can go to Seattle and see PNB, I wanted to offer something different,” so that people could see both.
While PNB audiences get good value for their money, “Who can afford to take the whole family to PNB?” Cramer-Sherbina said. “”The Nutcracker” is a family production, and it’s a way to expose children to the performing arts.”
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Auditions
Auditions for actors, dancers of all disciplines and gymnasts, ages 11 and older, for “The Nutcracker” are Aug. 6, 12 and 13 at Bainbridge Ballet and possibly at a North Kitsap location, too. Rehearsals run from late August until the performances, Dec. 9-11 and Dec. 15-18 at the Playhouse. To audition, volunteer or for more information, call 842-1205 or email info@bainbridgeballet.com.
