"FROM REEBOKS TO POINTE SHOES, BALLET FLORIDA HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE." - NY TIMES
MARIE HALE'S THE NUTCRACKER
Every major ballet company completely understands both artistically and economically the importance of The Nutcracker. The proceeds of this production, helps bring in money to help fund a company for the rest of its season. Ballet Florida had already a great production which already was a hit.
Ballet Florida first premiered Marie' Hale's The Nutcracker the year the Raymond F. Kravis Center opened in 1992. The Nutcracker is usually the first production for many children who eventually embark on a professional career. Mrs. Hale felt that everyone who attended - from girls, boys, teens and adults - should leave the theatre inspired and wanting to see as much live dance performances as they could. It also helped to build dance audiences for everyone in the future
HOW IT CAME TOGETHER
The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts announced finalization of designs and construction dates, Director Marie Hale knew immediately that Ballet Florida needed a new and larger production of the holiday classic. Her creativity began to flow and money started to be raised for what was originally billed as a $1million production. This amount for any ballet company was considered a huge budget at the time.
She first started with the libretto. Then, Mrs. Hale called on renowned Christina Ginanni to design exquisite and accurate costumes for that era. Eduardo Varela Sicangco was to design the enormous and beautiful sets and drops. The sets were built in New York by the same company that built Phantom of the Opera.
Flying by Foy based in Las Vegas was contacted for the various flying effects. They were known for the invention and safety of all flying effects used professional theatre. They had flown Mary Martin in Peter Pan, and Liberace AND his piano in his huge Las Vegas Hilton shows. Mrs. Hales choreographic design needed a silver swan sleigh to weighing over a half a ton to be flown from the grown and into the “sky.”
Award winning Howell Binkley was to design lighting. He is known for Kiss of the Spider Woman, Minnelli on Minnelli, Parade, The Full Monty, Avenue Q, Jersey Boys, In the Heights, West Side Story (2019) and Hamilton just to only name a few.
Side Show Buck was commissioned to design and work the many pyro-technique effects. Edward Sandall and Joseph Bucheck designed a nutcracker doll that was able to break and then, magically put back together before the eyes of the audience. This was a first in the industry! The two also designed a special apparatus so the little nutcracker doll could be revealed as life sized - center stage before he audience! Of course, the was a search for a "real unicorn" which was needed for Herr Drosselmeyer to bring Clara and her Nutcracker Prince to the Land of the Sweets.
Once announced, international anticipation mounted for this new and unprecedented production. Most every dancers’ first experience of attending a ballet was The Nutcracker. Marie Hale’s The Nutcracker was to be a complete theatrical experience while keeping the young boys entertained, and men wanting to see more!
Billed as "Ballet Florida's Marie Hale's The Nutcracker
...So hot it will give you chills,” the production was previewed in Tampa, Florida to SOLD OUT seven shows at the now Stars Center. By this time, the East Coast had already purchased nearly every ticket for the Kravis PREMIERE performance. By the time it opened at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, all seats were SOLD!
Marie Hale’s The Nutcracker was huge! It took twelve trucks to get the full production to and from the theatre. The running crew for the show kept 60 stagehands busy. Four snow bags filled with over 400 pounds of specially made shimmering “snow” was used for the Land of the Snow, along with fog using over 500 pounds of dry ice per-show. Before every Opening Night each Season, the production was inspected by local Fire Marshal and OSHA for safety of the cast, crew and audiences. With an exclusive and first, it actually snowed in the audience chamber created by six specially designed machines!
Radio Host Kevin Kitchens was always the host for the Special Performance (for the underserved community) until his death in 1999. The following year, the Final Dress Rehearsal of the production was always timed for WPTV News Channel 5's Steve Weagle to do his weather report at 6:00 PM during the Land of the Snow scene to report "snow" in South Florida
Always wanting to keep it fresh, over the years Marie Hale added or made changes with new costumes (Jorge Gallardo), set pieces and drops (Eduardo Varela Sicangco), exquisite lighting designs (A. George Cripps) and added new flying effects (Flying by Foy). It was estimated the production in 2008 cost over $1.6million.
As a gift to the community, every year Ballet Florida invited the underserved population to attend. Over the years thousands and thousands of children could share the opportunity to see the magic and beauty Marie Hale’s The Nutcracker
Audiences never got tired of Marie Hale’s The Nutcracker. With tickets sales beginning every Summer, no one wanted to miss THE holiday event of the Winter Season. The production always attracted new audience members while others returned making it a part of their Holiday experience.
View Video from Marie Hale's The Nutcracker.
MARIE HALE'S THE NUTCRACKER WAS AN ARTISTIC TREASURE THAT MADE PALM BEACH COUNTY A WINTER DANCE AND THEATRICAL DESTINATION. IT WAS TRULY MAGICAL AND AN ARTISTIC DELIGHT! IT WAS LOVED BY AUDIENCES OF ALL AGES WHO KEPT BUYING TICKETS EVERY YEAR.
