The Nutcracker(ish)

The Nutcracker(ish) is a BIPOC-centered modern reimagining of The Nutcracker and the Mouse King with elements of The Wizard of Oz. When young Clara, an aspiring ballerina, takes the train to get her first pair of pointe shoes, she is whisked away by a snowstorm to a magical Oz-like place. There she befriends the Nutcracker and the Snowwoman, encounters the infamous Mouse King, and and journeys to meet the Great and Powerful Sorceress to get her greatest wish granted.

Audiences of all ages will enjoy this magical journey filled with ballet, modern, hip-hop, and jazz with selections from the Tchaikovsky score and Duke Ellington suite!

The show was co-created by father-daughter duo Tim Rhoze and Kara Roseborough and originally premiered in 2018 at Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre in Evanston, Illinois. As an extension of Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre’s mission, this dance theatre work started as a community engagement and equity-based project. The revamped University of Michigan production features an expanded cast and additional dance pieces, including a selection created through the production’s partnership with the U-M Chapter of Ballet & Books. Read more:

A Modern Take on Classics: SMTD Dance Presents “The Nutcracker(ish)”

Tickets for all performances are free and first come, first served. Our box office will open one hour before the performance starts. As soon as you enter the dance building, the box office will be located directly to your left. We have a 166-seat theater and as soon as the tickets are claimed, no more will be given out. An overflow space will be set up in one of our studios so you can watch the performance on the screen if the performance is sold out.