Nutcracker 101- Casting

The most difficult part in dealing with Nutcracker is casting.

A cast for Nutcracker can include hundreds of people.

While most parts are for ballet dancers, there are some that might be cast to actors.

Those that are cast to actors may include:
Fritz,
Adults at the party,
Drosselmeir,
and
Mother Ginger

As a parent, there are parts that you would really love for your child to have, especially the "lead" parts.

The "lead" parts for girls include:
Clara,
Snow Queen,
and
Sugar Plum Fairy

The "lead" parts for boys include:
Fritz,
Snow Cavalier,
and
Sugar Plum Cavalier

Of course, there are years when your dancer also wants these parts too.

Let's just say that emotions run very high around casting time.

However, the thing that one must remember is that the Artistic Director has their own idea of what they want to see on stage.

This means that sometimes parts are cast based on dance ability, or "looks," or a combination of both, and, on very rare occasions, monetary contributions.

And, the Artistic Director does NOT have to explain their reasoning for the cast list.

So, at the end of the day, a dancer must embrace the part they are given and hope for the one they want next year.