The production is based on a beloved 1816 story that has a long history with multiple editions
By Lee Juillerat for Ashland.news
The 1816 literary fairy tale “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King,” will take Cabaret Theater audiences on an imaginative journey through the enchanting world of E.T.A. Hoffmann’s holiday classic.
Set against the backdrop of Victorian England, a young Marie and her toy companions embark on an adventure to a distant candy land plagued by the sinister Mouse King. Cabaret managing director Rick Robinson says the play is an “epic and heartwarming story, playing valiant heroes, dastardly villains, and everything in between in this very funny and highly theatrical holiday celebration for audiences of all ages.”
The Cabaret production, by Natasha Harris, will be a world premiere “with live music, puppetry, shadow play, and hilarious heartfelt holiday cheer,” said director Valerie Rachelle, “I am ecstatic to bring this version of the ‘Nutcracker’ to the Cabaret stage.”
The story was originally published in 1816 in German in a volume called “Kinder-Marchen” (Children’s Stories.) The story was republished in the first volume of Hoffman’s story collection, “The Serapion Brethen.” Its long history includes an English version published in 1833, a full children’s version in Britain in 1892, an edition in 1930, and a series of translations by Alexander Ewing, along with children’s editions that featured illustrations.
The Cabaret cast includes Brooklyn Williams (Levora in “Disaster”), who stars as Marie. She is joined by Cabaret regulars Alex Boyles (“Waitress,” “Disaster,” “Little Shop”), Andrea Hochkeppel (“Waitress,” “Legally Blonde”), Juliana Wheeler (“Gentleman’s Guide”), and Nick Ferrucci “(Sherlock Holmes & the Study in Scarlet”). Making his Cabaret debut is Chris Mixon, a longtime veteran of both the Utah and Alabama Shakespeare festivals.
If it were a movie, “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King”would be rated PG for onstage fighting and some scary imagery that might frighten very young attendees.
“The Nutcracker and the Mouse King” opens Friday, November 21 and runs through Wednesday, December 31. Thursday, Saturday and Sunday matinees begin at 1 p.m. with evening performances at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Monday, Wednesday, and select Tuesday nights.
Reservations are required for pre-show dinner or brunch. Appetizers, cocktails, beverages, and desserts are available without reservations. Tickets range from $32 to $54. The Cabaret offers a 15% ticket discount for groups of 12 or more for select ticket types and performances. Student rush tickets for $15 can be purchased 30 minutes before curtain with a valid student ID, subject to availability.
For more information or to purchase tickets, call the Oregon Cabaret Theatre box office at 541-488-2902 or visit oregoncabaret.com.
