PRINCETON, NJ Restaurant Dining Guide Announcement

American Repertory Ballet Announces 2015 Annual Nutcracker Season

PRINCETON, NJ - American Repertory Ballet’s 2015 Nutcracker Season will run November 21 through December 20 at venues across New Jersey: Union County Performing Arts Center in Rahway, McCarter Theatre in Princeton, Patriots Theater at the War Memorial in Trenton, Algonquin Arts Theatre in Manasquan, and State Theatre in New Brunswick. ARB’s Nutcracker is a holiday classic featuring Tchaikovsky’s score and a cast of over 100 performers, featuring the professional, international dancers of American Repertory Ballet and select students from Princeton Ballet School, the official school of ARB. A holiday tradition since 1964, ARB’s is the longest-running Nutcracker production in New Jersey and one of the longest consecutively-running in the United States. 

American Repertory Ballet will open the Nutcracker season in New Jersey at Union County Performing Arts Center’s main stage in Rahway on Saturday, November 21 at 2:00pm with the company’s first-ever Sensory Friendly performances on Sunday, November 22 at 2:00pm.  ARB’s Nutcracker will be at McCarter Theatre in Princeton for Thanksgiving weekend: Wednesday, November 25 at 7:30pm and Friday, November 27 and Saturday, November 28 at 2:00pm and 5:30pm. On Saturday, December 5 at 11:00pm, the production will be at Patriots Theater at the War Memorial in Trenton.

In another first, ARB will bring its production of Nutcracker to South Orange Performing Arts Center with two performances on Sunday, December 6 at 1:00pm and 5:00pm. The company will bring this holiday classic to Algonquin Arts Theatre in Manasquan on Saturday, December 12 at 1:00pm and 4:30pm and on Sunday, December 13 at 3:00pm. The closing weekend of ARB’s Nutcracker will be at State Theatre in New Brunswick, with performances on Friday, December 18 at 7:30pm and Saturday, December 19 and Sunday, December 20 at 1:00pm and 4:30pm. These performances at State Theatre will feature a live orchestra, conducted by Maestro Michael Pratt, and the Princeton GirlChoir.

Terra Momo restaurant group will once again partner with ARB’s Nutcracker season. They will offer ARB’s Nutcracker ticket holders 20% off a meal at any of their three restaurants: Eno Terra in Kingston, Mediterra in Princeton, or Teresa Caffe in Princeton. On Saturday, November 21 between 12:30 pm to 2:30pm, costumed characters will be greeting guests at Mediterra restaurant.

Nutcracker sponsorships, partnership opportunities, and playbill advertising opportunities are still available. For information about these opportunities, please contact Lisa de Ravel: lderavel@arballet.org , 609.921.7758 x11.

Playbill ad artwork is due November 6.

American Repertory Ballet’s Nutcracker 2015

www.arballet.org/Nutcracker

Union County Performing Arts Center

1601 Irving Street

Rahway, NJ 07065

(732) 499-8226

www.ucpac.org

November 21, 2015 at 2:00pm

November 22, 2015 at 2:00pm (Sensory Friendly performance)

McCarter Theatre

91 University Place

Princeton, NJ 08540

(609) 258-2787

www.mccarter.org

November 25, 2015 at 7:30pm

November 27, 2015 at 2:00pm and 5:30pm

November 28, 2015 at 2:00pm and 5:30pm

Patriots Theater at the War Memorial

1 Memorial Drive

Trenton, NJ 08608

(877) 987-6487

www.arballet.org/TrentonNutcracker

December 5, 2015 at 11:00am

South Orange Performing Arts Center

1 SOPAC Way

South Orange, NJ 07079

https://www.sopacnow.org/nutcracker/

December 6, 2015 at 1:00pm & 5:00pm

Algonquin Arts Theatre

60 Abe Voorhees Drive

Manasquan, NJ 08736

(732) 528-9211

www.algonquinarts.com

December 12, 2015 at 1:00pm and 4:30pm

December 13, 2015 at 3:00pm

State Theatre *Featuring Live Orchestra and Choir*

15 Livingston Avenue

New Brunswick, NJ 08901

(732) 246-7469

www.statetheatrenj.org

December 18, 2015 at 7:30pm

December 19, 2015 at 1:00pm and 4:30pm

December 20, 2015 at 1:00pm and 4:30pm

About American Repertory Ballet and Princeton Ballet School

American Repertory Ballet’s mission is to bring the joy, beauty, artistry and discipline of classical and contemporary dance to New Jersey and nationwide audiences and to dance students through artistic and educational programs. The organization comprises: the preeminent professional classical and contemporary ballet company in the state; Princeton Ballet School, one of the largest and most respected non-profit dance schools in the nation; and ARB’s Access & Enrichment initiatives, including the long-running and acclaimed DANCE POWER program. The performing company is a classical and contemporary ballet company committed to presenting ballets from the 19th and 20th centuries alongside new and existing works by choreographers from today. Founded in 1963, the company is currently under the artistic leadership of Douglas Martin, former principal dancer with the Joffrey Ballet. Its rich history of repertory includes established masterpieces by distinguished American choreographers such as George Balanchine, Gerald Arpino, Alvin Ailey, Paul Taylor and Twyla Tharp; cutting edge works by choreographers such as Val Caniparoli, Kirk Peterson, Dominique Dumais, Harrison McEldowney, Amy Seiwert, Susan Shields, Melissa Barak, Patrick Corbin, Trinette Singleton, and ARB Resident Choreographer Mary Barton; and former Artistic Directors Dermot Burke, Marjorie Mussman, Septime Webre and Graham Lustig. ARB has been designated a “Major Arts Institution” by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts consistently for the past two decades, and has repeatedly been awarded a Citation of Excellence by the Council.  ARB was voted the Jersey Arts People’s Choice for “Favorite Dance Company” in 2008, 2011, 2012, and 2015.  

Princeton Ballet School has gained a national reputation for its excellent dance training since its founding in 1954 by Audrée Estey. Under the direction of Mary Pat Robertson, Princeton Ballet School currently serves approximately 1,200 students, starting at age three, and includes a large open enrollment division for adults. Princeton Ballet School has studios in Cranbury, New Brunswick, and Princeton and offers classes in ballet, modern dance, jazz,  hip-hop, CardioBallet, and CoMBo - Conditioning for the Mind and Body.  Students from the school have gone on to dance in professional ballet and contemporary dance companies in the US and abroad. Graduates have danced with such diverse organizations as New York City Ballet, Paul Taylor Dance Company, Miami City Ballet, Complexions, Mark Morris Dance Company, Twyla Tharp, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Ballet West and on Broadway.

The Access & Enrichment wing of American Repertory Ballet reaches out to the community not only through its DANCE POWER program and signature On Pointe series, but also with free programming, master classes, residencies, lecture demonstrations and School-Time Matinees throughout the state.  In 1985, American Repertory Ballet partnered with the New Brunswick Board of Education to create DANCE POWER.  Today, it’s the longest-running uninterrupted arts/community partnership in New Jersey. The legendary Gregory Hines was DANCE POWER’s Honorary Chair for 18 years before his untimely passing in 2003. In 2001, Mr. Hines endowed a scholarship at Rutgers University that earmarks annual funds for a DANCE POWER student to attend the university.