Milwaukee Ballet's new 'Nutcracker' has new costumes, new sets and more children

After a successful $5 million capital campaign, Milwaukee Ballet is rolling out a new edition of "The Nutcracker" in December, with new costumes, new sets, more children and some new choreography.

But in planning the "Nutcracker" makeover, artistic director Michael Pink, as on brand as ever, was also thinking hard about the story the ballet tells.

"One of the main challenges for me was the sense of journey," Pink said during a recent media event.

While the first act of "The Nutcracker" has a strong story line focused on the party at the home of Clara and Fritz, the second is more a succession of dances in classical ballet styles. "That's always been a challenge for me because it becomes a different show," said Pink, widely known for his narrative approach to dance.

Pink's new staging of Milwaukee Ballet's holiday staple, "The Nutcracker: Drosselmeyer’s Imaginarium," attempts to tie the second act more closely to the story of the first act.

Drosselmeyer, as fans of this ballet already know, is the toymaker who creates the Nutcracker itself and many other wonders. An imaginarium is a place devoted to stimulating and exploring the imagination. In connection with this show, Pink defined it poetically as "that place you kind of drift into when you're going to sleep." In keeping with his notion of the story as a journey, an astrolabe (an ancient instrument used for charting heavenly bodies and navigation) has emerged as a design element in the production.

In Milwaukee Ballet's new beginning to "Nutcracker," Drosselmeyer is creating elements that may turn up again in the story, Pink suggested.

The new production takes place Dec. 8-26 at the Marcus Performing Arts Center's Uihlein Hall, 929 N. Water St.

Milwaukee Ballet retired its previous version of "The Nutcracker" in 2022 after 25 years of performing it.

So many new costumes in 'The Nutcracker'

Gregory A. Poplyk has designed costumes for both Ringling Bros. and Disney on Ice. But, in sheer numbers, Milwaukee Ballet's "The Nutcracker" is "the biggest thing I think I've ever really attempted," he said.

Poplyk has designed about 175 costumes for this "Nutcracker." They're being created by artisans from many places: Milwaukee, Chicago, Utah, England, Hungary, Italy and Thailand, Poplyk said.

One of the "big surprises" for Poplyk in designing this show, Pink said, is that a costume may look perfect on the first person who tries it on. Then Pink reminds the designer that three other people, whose shape and contours may be different, will also being wearing it. So the costumes need to be practically adaptable.

Both Pink and Poplyk praised the work done by veteran costume manager Mary Piering and her staff in making everything work.

More roles for children in this 'Nutcracker'

"The Nutcracker" is the gateway to ballet for many children, both as performers and as audience members. Milwaukee Ballet's new production appears to make that gateway even wider.

Michael Pink has created 14 more roles for students, so this year a total of 73 roles are performed by more than 135 students, said Kristin Dimmer, director of the Milwaukee Ballet School and Academy.

This version also includes new activities onstage for some young dancers.

"We have kids on roller skates and bicycles," Dimmer said — before looking over sheepishly at Pink to see if she had given something away.

In addition to 16 public performances, Milwaukee Ballet will perform three school matinees — "an additional matinee this year because of all the excitement we have over this new production," said Rachel Howell, manager of community relations.

She expects about 5,000 children to attend those matinees.

The ballet keeps exploring ways to introduce this art form to local children. Howell said French-speaking dancer Jacqueline Bertault visited Milwaukee French Immersion School, 2360 N. 52nd St., and taught three workshops in French for first-graders. Those children are all coming to see "Nutcracker," Howell said.

"The Nutcracker: Drosselmeyer’s Imaginarium" is sponsored by BMO.

If you go

Milwaukee Ballet performs "The Nutcracker: Drosselmeyer's Imaginarium" Dec. 8-26 at the Marcus Performing Arts Center, 929 N. Water St. For tickets, visit milwaukeeballet.org or call (414) 902-2103.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: New costumes, more kids will appear in Milwaukee Ballet's 'Nutcracker'