Lights, camera, Tchaikovsky: ‘The Nutcracker' onscreen this weekend

This story is part of the Arts and Culture Reporting Corps, sponsored by the Springfield Regional Arts Council.

Once upon a time, I was obsessed with all things ballet. I had my own tiny tights and tutus, Angelina Ballerina books on the shelf, and a toy barre hung behind my bedroom door.

I can still remember how magical it felt to watch Springfield Ballet’s holiday production of The “Nutcracker” at the Landers Theatre in downtown Springfield. A day out at the ballet felt especially fancy and grand: the plush velvet seats, gilded walls and larger-than-life chandelier. The timeless music and real-life ballet dancers right there on the stage in their glittering costumes.

Since 1985, local ballerinas and visiting artists have performed the beloved holiday classic in Springfield. While the live stage production taking place this weekend is sold out, there are even more ways to experience the magic of “The Nutcracker” this year.

Onscreen at The Moxie

For the first time, viewers can enjoy watching The Nutcracker from a movie theater seat at Moxie Cinema downtown. Tickets are available for both Sunday and Monday evening’s performances at 6:30 p.m., for $15 each.

For Executive Director of the Moxie Mike Stevens, the origin of this partnership was a bit of a holiday miracle. In past years, the Moxie has screened performances from London’s famed Royal Ballet, but this year that fell through.

Mike happened to run into Springfield Ballet’s Creative Director Ashley Paige Romines, and while catching up, he lamented the loss of those screenings this year. By the next day, the two had a new plan.

“The next morning, Ashley emailed with the proposal to live stream it and after 10 seconds of careful consideration I responded in the affirmative,” Stevens said. “And within 10 minutes we had a plan and the tickets were live shortly after that. We hope to make it an annual tradition.”

This new partnership is part of a collaborative renaissance of sorts in Springfield. Sarah Abele, director of marketing and development at Springfield Regional Arts Council, says the creative community has been working together more than ever before. Through planned meetings, chats over coffee, and informal interactions like the one that brought the Moxie and Springfield Ballet together, arts organizations have found new ways to collaborate post-2020.

“Coming out of the pandemic stress and anxiety, and feeling like we were struggling to keep everything going, since then the arts community has been working together in a way that hasn’t happened before,” Abele said. “It’s exciting to have a collaboration like this, and to give people in our community another opportunity to see local talent up on stage.”

Onscreen in your home (or anywhere)

For those who’d rather create a cozy holiday evening in — or for families outside the Ozarks who’d like to cheer on their local ballet stars — there’s another screening option through Springfield Little Theatre.

Screening packages are available for all performances and cost $60 for a family pass to live-stream the performance at home while it happens on the Landers stage.

“There’s a big draw for the ballet in Springfield,” Abele says. “They’re professional and so talented.”

This year’s performance features guest artists Maria Hall as Sugar Plum Fairy and José Soares as Cavalier, alongside a cast of local talent. If you haven’t experienced “The Nutcracker” before, this could be your year to make magical holiday memories of your own.

Sarah Jenkins

Sarah Jenkins is a freelance writer in Springfield who's eager to share stories about our unique and far-reaching arts scene and the people who make it all happen. More by Sarah Jenkins

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