'Nutcracker' Stars Get Up Close, Personal

By Anna Marie Finley

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

The magic of "The Nutcracker" ballet is a Christmas tradition that doesn’t require any bargain hunting or gift-wrapping. And for those who look forward to the Loudoun Ballet Company’s annual performance of the story, a first-time event this past weekend was just their cup of tea.

The Loudoun Ballet Company hosted a tea for guests to meet lead members of this year’s cast. Clara, the Sugar Plum Fairy and Fritz were among the members who daintily tiptoed between tables of guests dressed up to sip tea at Leesburg's Aylesbury Antique Center and Tea Rooms.

The curtain will go up Saturday at 2 p.m., marking the company’s 18th year of putting on the holiday classic. With practices beginning in August for the older dancers, the Nutcracker tea celebrated the end of a long rehearsal season.

This is Debi Strauch’s first year with the ballet company, but she already has helped add something to its list of holiday events with the Nutcracker tea.

“I wanted to do something like the character concept from Disneyland -- the idea of meeting the characters up close,” Strauch said.

She said the tea is a great cultural experience for the children.

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Nutcracker Tea Party

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The Aylesbury Antique Center and Tea Rooms in downtown Leesburg was the setting for a Nutcracker tea this past weekend. (Anna Marie Finley)

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Inside, the English-inspired decor provided the setting for the tea. (Anna Marie Finley)

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One of the tables in the tea room is prepared for its guests. (Anna Marie Finley)

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Nutcrackers on each table added a special touch to the tea on Sunday. (Anna Marie Finley)

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The tea tables were set for guests as they arrived. (Anna Marie Finley)

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Many displays of local artists and gift sellers can be found in the tea rooms at Aylesbury. (Anna Marie Finley)

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Madeleine Pennington and Abby Porter, both of Loudoun, enjoy tea with their friends. (Anna Marie Finley)

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Lauren Porter, 7, of Loudoun, is dressed up for the tea. (Anna Marie Finley)

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Kaylyn Jackson, 17, of Loudoun, greeted guests at the tea in her Arabian coffee princess costume. (Anna Marie Finley)

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Sixteen-year-old Christine Jordan, one of the Sugar Plum Fairies performing in the Nutcracker this weekend, sashay around the tea rooms. (Anna Marie Finley)

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Hot Chocolate princess Ashley Dunn, 14, poses for a picture with co-dancer Candy Cane, Lauren Talbot, 15, both from Loudoun. (Anna Marie Finley)

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Clara, played by Liv Hutton of Loudoun, was a favorite of the characters who attended the tea. (Anna Marie Finley)

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Loudoun resident Liz Gant and her daughter, Anne, enjoy tea before the characters arrive. (Anna Marie Finley)

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Eleven-year-old Zack Skemp, who plays Fritz in the show, poses for a picture with guest Anne Gant. (Anna Marie Finley)

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Although the idea to do a tea was kicked around for a while, plans weren’t made until October, Strauch said. With help from the artistic director and tea room owner Karen Stroman, she found a spot and decided which characters to invite to the event.

Apparently, word about the event traveled quickly. There was hardly an empty chair in the house.

Strauch’s 13-year-old daughter, Hannah, has danced for 11 years and has seen "The Nutcracker" each of those years. She said she was excited to help her mom with the Nutcracker-inspired tea.

“Learning the choreography is the hardest part,” Hannah Strauch said of the performance.

Loudoun resident Liz Gant said she used to attend The Kennedy Center's performance of "The Nutcracker" in the District, but not anymore.

“I was told that I wouldn’t ever want to go back to seeing it anywhere else, and I haven’t since,” Gant said. “When I brought my daughter, I wasn’t sure how she would do, but she was mesmerized.”

Gant brought 6-year-old Anne to the tea so she could meet the characters that she gets to see briefly backstage during her role as a gift bearer in the show.

Gant, like many of the young girls at the tea dressed up in Christmas jumpers and dresses, waited patiently for her turn to talk with the Sugar Plum Fairy, which seemed to be the favorite character.

Fritz and Clara, and other lead characters like Hot Chocolate and Candy Cane, signed autographs and took pictures with almost every table of guests.

Seventeen-year-old Loudoun resident Kaylyn Jackson's role as the Arabian coffee princess is 10 years in the making. Like many of the veteran dancers, she said balancing school and rehearsals comes easily after so many years.

“I think this is a great idea,” she said of the tea event. “The best part is that the kids get really excited to meet us.”

This is 15-year-old Lauren Talbot's ninth year on stage with the company, but her first year as the Candy Cane soloist.

“It’s tiring, but it’s fun," she said, "and it goes fast."

To reserve tickets or for information about the show, visit the Loudoun Ballet Company’s Web site at www.loudounballet.org.

Tagged: christmas

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