A special community-focused version of a beloved holiday standard hits the stage at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts this weekend.
“Clare and the Chocolate Nutcracker” sees the young Black title character take an enchanted journey through many countries and cultures, along with familiar figures like the Chocolate Nutcracker himself and the Sugar Plum Fairy. The music includes everything from classic Tchaikovsky to jazz, from soul to international styles, and more.
Beverly Page is the creator, writer and producer of this Nutcracker adaptation, now in its 12th year. She says her emphasis is bringing community members together in support of kids and adults who’ve always dreamed of the stage…with some national artistic notables in the mix.
“I bring community into this Nutcracker, and it starts out with a little girl in Harlem,” Page explained. “And if you've ever been to Harlem, you know it is filled with so many diverse cultures and dancing and celebration. Harlem is very vibrant, and that's what I wanted to show about Claire's community - the cultural mix that she encountered on a daily basis.”
So, Page decided Clare’s enchanted journey to the Kingdom of Toys would take an imaginary trip around the globe first…with a little help from Page’s real-world friends.
“When I reached out into my own community, right here in Central Florida, I was around a lot of culturally diverse groups, and I invited them to be a part of the production,” said Page.
That means cultural performances celebrating Haiti, Brazil, the Caribbean, Africa, and a few new additions for the first time this year.
“I went to the Asian American community, and I was able to get them to come in with the lion [dance], and for the first time, we have our Sugar Plum Fairy who is an Asian American, and it is such a beautiful collaboration,” Page said. “And we bring in Brazil, just this amazing group of people working with us, but what I did this year that I haven't done in the past - before we get to Brazil, I'm taking us into the Amazon rainforest. Also, we go to Puerto Rico this year.”
Page said the children and adults in this production are mostly from the local community – the kids practice for their parts as an ongoing arts program with Page's Orlando Community Arts, and other organizations also participate. For example, the Jones High School Alumni Band is providing live music for the show.
“Oh, but we also have a collaboration with some of the students at the Juilliard School!” Page added. She said this exciting development is new this year.
“Here’s how that happened: my nephew is at the Juilliard School. He's majoring in theater to become a producer, like me. So he was able to gather some of his colleagues and say, ‘Hey, let's go to Orlando and help out with the show, we'll be helping the kids.’”
“One of the Juilliard kids is now a member of the Alvin Ailey [American Dance Theater, an internationally-acclaimed dance company], and he will play the role of the Chocolate Nutcracker Prince and my nephew Jeremy will play the Mouse King,” Page said. “So you're going to get that whole battle scene with the two of them will actually battle it out in ballet!”
But Page is clear that she doesn’t want all that star power to steal the spotlight from the kids and the community at the heart of this production.
“As long as you have the arts in the community, the community will thrive,” she said. “And it doesn't matter what your social economic situation is, everyone gets to be a part of the arts community, and that's what we bring.”
