ODT's 'The German American Bank Nutcracker' returns this weekend

Dec. 2—Owensboro Dance Theatre will bring its 41st season to life with its annual family-friendly spectacular "The German American Bank Nutcracker" at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3 and 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4 inside Cannon Hall at the RiverPark Center.

Based on Prussian author E.T.A. Hoffmann's 1816 "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King," the cast will feature 143 extra cast members, 47 ODT Company and Apprentice Company members, five professional dancers and eight local adult community members taking part.

Since the dance group debuted the Nutcracker in 1993, the story has continued to be a community tradition and an event that the ODT looks forward to every year.

"We're really excited to bring (this) all back to RiverPark for the holiday spirit," said Natalie Lopez, assistant artistic director.

And this occasion in particular is special, as this will be the first year since 2019 that the cast will be performing without masks due to cautions regarding COVID.

"They're thrilled," said Joy Johnson, managing artistic director. "All I can say is that it's wonderful. Our older kids just took to it so (quickly) and started teaching choreography. ...They're just happier. They can get in on working on their technique and not having to worry about, 'I have this thing on.' "

"(We're) noticing the little kids, especially, and just seeing their excitement again," Lopez said. "...Now you can really see it as a whole ... and we've kind of missed that aspect."

The absence of masks has also allowed the dancers to be able to have more partner work with ease.

"It feels like — I know we say normalcy — but it feels like we're getting back to that," Lopez said.

While the community can expect to see a return to form and the traditional happenings that typically occur in the production each year, new additions and features will keep the show fresh and modern which includes a new magical spinning bed in order for the character Marie to "travel into her dream world" that will have its own remote control function.

Johnson said ODT has had something similar in the past.

"The first years that we did 'The Nutcracker' when Karen Carothers was artistic director, and she had a friend that developed a remote control bed for Marie to be on that spun," she said. "It was from a wheelchair battery. It lasted maybe eight years."

There will also be a change of scenery with the addition of a video backdrop to replace the physical backdrop used for the workshop and bedroom scenes, while new fog machines and hazers will enhance the performances.

"We've got some tech things that are adding a new element to the show ....," Lopez said.

Johnson and Lopez said the show, which will celebrate its 30th anniversary next year, has become an introduction to the holiday season and has been happy with the production's growth.

"A lot of people have always said this is kind of their opening to Christmas," Johnson said. "It kind of makes them in the spirit. It's amazing because I don't feel like it's been that long. We did some really neat things at the beginning, but we had some smaller crowds and smaller groups of kids and then it just kept getting bigger and bigger."

They've also enjoyed being able to perform for the area schools.

"They bring a different energy," Lopez said. "They are very vocal during the show. You hear the expression in the audience. Not saying our main public audience doesn't do that as well, but when those kids are in there and when Ms. Johnson goes on stage to ask those questions (for) a t-shirt ... they interact more."

For Lopez, who started out being a cast member of the production in her youth, has found an appreciation for those both on-and-off the stage since helping lead the charge.

"I have more respect for tech crew; I have more respect for the rehearsal directors (and) I have the utmost respect for Ms. Johnson," she said, "because it's not just the kids, (who) do play an aspect, but it's the tech crew, it's the rehearsal directors, it's the volunteers — all the little stuff that you don't see.

"Without them, our show really wouldn't be the same. It takes a whole team."

Tickets for both performances are on sale now at riverparkcenter.org or by calling the RiverPark Center box office at 270-687-2770.

For more information, visit owensborodancetheatre.org.