Lafayette Ballet Theatre celebrates The Nutcracker | Entertainment/Life

The Nutcracker is a magical holiday tradition for many, merging dance, music and the romance of the season in a sparkling two-hour performance. 

This year, Lafayette Ballet Theatre will celebrate the 25th anniversary of their first Nutcracker performance, with shows at the Heymann Performing Arts Center on Dec. 13 and 14. The Acadiana Symphony Orchestra will provide live music for the shows for the first time in the production’s history, in a collaboration that celebrates the “artistic excellence of our region,” according to ASO board president Robert Schacht. 

The Nutcracker is an old story, and a beloved one — a young girl, Clara, awakens to find that her nutcracker doll has come to life, and he leads her on adventures to the Land of Sweets as the Mouse King, Sugar Plum Fairy and other characters dance a dazzling ballet on stage. 

Tchaikovsky’s score is dramatic, haunting and enchanting by turns, but for many, it’s the costumes that really give this show its magic. Lafayette Ballet Theatre’s Nutcracker features hundreds of handmade costumes created by Patty Heath, the mother of Shannon and Mitzi Heath, co-artistic directors of the company.  

“Our mother played an intricate part in the beauty and success of this performance,” said Shannon Heath. “She designed and created each and every costume that will be performed this year, and have been performed for a number of years. 

“I love that the beauty of her work is seen every year. I think it’s going to mean so much more to Mitzi and I, and the LBT alumni, because she’s unable to sew any longer. So they become more beautiful to see each year, knowing that the gift of her legacy will hopefully last many decades to come.”

Lafayette Ballet Theatre was founded by the Heath family in 1982 with the goal of offering excellent dance education and performance opportunities in the Acadiana area. Hundreds of LBT dancers have trained for and performed in The Nutcracker over the years, and many have gone on to dance with prestigious national companies like the Boston Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet and Ballet Austin. The leading stars in this year’s production of The Nutcracker have come to Lafayette from Pacific Northwest Ballet, which is in Seattle. 

“That company is right up there with American Ballet Theatre and New York City Ballet,” said Heath. “To have two of their principals join us is such a gift to our community. It motivates the training and gets young dancers involved and then they fall in love with ballet.”

She said, “In The Nutcracker, the angels are our youngest, at 8 years old. They get to work with the Sugar Plum Fairy, the highest principal dancer of Pacific Northwest Ballet. It provides that education and that communication that artists love, working side by side. I think it helps inspire young people and build the arts in our community.” 

In addition to providing opportunities for dancers, The Nutcracker performance also pulls in dozens of local musicians and visual artists. This year, 25 Lafayette artists painted their own unique nutcrackers that will be available as part of an online auction in December, leading up to the performances. 

Shannon Heath encourages people who have made The Nutcracker part of their tradition in the past to be sure to come this year. For this 25th anniversary performance, Lafayette Ballet Theatre has incorporated notable features, from choreography to staging, from LBT’s first production in 2001, which Heath said will be nostalgic for audience members. 

“We tried to go back as deep in our roots as we can, and it’s truly very special. I know people who have never missed a year, and I cannot wait for them to see this performance. Hopefully, people will notice several of their favorite memories in this year’s production.”

Tickets are available on the Heymann Center website for The Nutcracker performances, taking place in Lafayette at the Heymann Performing Arts Center on Dec. 13 and 14.