Pictured Left to Right: Reed Dute-Semones, Quinn Otto, Jack Koppitsch, Lily Van Tuinen, Leah Brody, Beau Koppitsch
TOLEDO, OH – Today, Toledo Ballet announced the lead roles of Clara, Fritz, and the Nutcracker Prince for its 83rd annual production of The Nutcracker. These roles are traditionally shared across multiple casts. The role of Clara will be performed by Leah Brody (11, Sylvania) and Lily Van Tuinen (10, Maumee). The role of Clara’s brother Fritz will be performed by Reed Dute-Semones (9, Millbury) and Beau Koppitsch (8, Perrysburg). The role of the Nutcracker Prince will be performed by Quinn Otto (10, Sylvania) and Jack Koppitsch (11, Perrysburg).
Eric Otto, Artistic Director and Head of Curriculum at Toledo Ballet will update this year’s Nutcracker with his own choreography especially for Toledo Ballet students. “This year’s production will focus more on the child wonderment of this holiday classic,” says Otto. “Clara and Fritz are both a little bit younger than in previous Toledo Ballet productions and the character of the Nutcracker Prince has a slight twist that I don’t want to give away just yet!”
Members of the public will have the opportunity to meet this year’s cast in person at the Toledo Ballet Guild’s Tea with Clara being held on Sunday, November 5 at 11am at Inverness Club. Tickets are available at artstoledo.com/tea-with-clara.
Toledo Ballet has the longest continuously running annual production of The Nutcracker in North America. Toledo Ballet Founder and Artistic Director Emerita Marie Vogt smuggled copies of Tchaikovsky’s score out of Russia to piece together its first production in 1940 and it has been performed every year since. For many years, the Toledo Symphony has provided the live orchestral score to Toledo Ballet’s production. This production is the only one in Northwest Ohio and the vicinity performed with live music. TSO Music Director Alain Trudel conducts this years’ performances.
Tickets to The Nutcracker are on sale now at artstoledo.com/nutcracker or by calling the TAPA Box Office at 419.246.8000.
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WHAT: Toledo Ballet’s 83rd production of The Nutcracker
WHEN: Friday, December 8 (School performance); Saturday, December 9 at 2pm and 7pm; Sunday, December 10 at 2pm
WHERE: The Stranahan Theater, 4645 Heatherdowns Blvd. Toledo, OH 43614
TICKETS: Online at www.artstoledo.com or Call 419.246.8000
ABOUT TOLEDO BALLET
Toledo Ballet is a pre-professional dance company that inspires the passions and spirit of the Toledo community through dance. Toledo Ballet provides quality dance instruction and exceptional performance opportunities to over 250 students throughout northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan annually.
Founded in 1939 by Marie Bollinger Vogt, Toledo Ballet continues to offer quality dance education spanning all ages and ability levels. Classes include ballet, contemporary, tap, tumbling, and Adaptive Dance, a unique class providing those with special needs an opportunity to learn to move in ways that come naturally to them. Acting, voice, musical theater, and conditioning are also offered at the school. In addition, Toledo Ballet brings in world-renowned, professional dancers each year to lead its summer intensive programs, drawing students from across the region seeking to advance their skills.
Toledo Ballet students have competed at the national and international level, including the Youth American Grand Prix (YAGP), the world’s largest international student ballet competition, and many have pursued dance professionally at some of the most prestigious ballet institutions in the nation, including New York City Ballet, Chicago Ballet, and Cincinnati Ballet.
In July 2022, Toledo Ballet named professional dancer, educator, and choreographer Eric Otto as Artistic Director.
ABOUT TOLEDO ALLIANCE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
On January 1, 2019, the Toledo Ballet and Toledo Symphony officially merged to form the Toledo Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA), a new non-profit organization dedicated to providing exceptional live music and dance performances and education for the region. Stemming from an 81-year partnership and annual presentation of The Nutcracker in Toledo, this merger is one of only a few in the nation and promises to create new and invigorating programs, provide cost and revenue synergies in operations, and integrate the arts through shared educational missions.
