TOLEDO, OH – The Toledo Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA) is pleased to announce Community Partner Yark Automotive as the presenting sponsor for the student performance of Toledo Ballet’s 83rd annual production of The Nutcracker. This sold-out performance takes place on Friday morning, December 8 at the Stranahan Theater with over 2,000 students from greater Toledo in attendance.  

“We are proud to partner with Toledo Ballet to present their school production of The Nutcracker,” says Emily Yark, Community Relations Director at Yark Automotive. “We believe in working hard to support our community, particularly families. What better way to do that during the holiday season than by providing access to one of Toledo’s greatest holiday traditions to so many students?” 

Presented by Yark Automotive Group, Toledo Ballet’s student performance of The Nutcracker takes place on Friday, December 8 at 10:30am. More than 2,000 students from more than 50 area schools, homeschool groups and co-ops board buses with their classmates and arrive at the Stranahan for a special performance, complete with live music performed by the Toledo Symphony Orchestra. Students get a closer look at the action on stage when the curtain is typically down. The morning is narrated by Condessa Croninger who takes students on a journey through the Land of Sweets through the magic of live theater, dance, and music.  

Toledo Ballet and TAPA’s education outreach programs reach more than 15,000 students in the community. More than 600 students pass through Toledo Ballet halls, attend music lessons through the Toledo Symphony School of Music, or participate in off three Toledo Symphony Youth Orchestras. Toledo Symphony and Toledo Ballet perform 5 Young Peoples’ performances every year. TAPA collaborates with more than 25 community partners including the Boys and Girls Club, Toledo Public Schools, Metroparks Toledo, and more.  

“It is really meaningful for Yark to be counted among the many philanthropic leaders of this great community that are supporting the arts, education, and well-being of our citizens,” continued Emily Yark.  

“Hearing the laughter and cheering of over 2,000 kids - some of whom are seeing The Nutcracker for the very first time – never gets old,” says Brett Loney, VP of Development for TAPA. “Having Yark Automotive’s support to present this special performance is a testament to their leadership and impact throughout our community.” 

The school performance of Toledo Ballet’s 83rd annual production of The Nutcracker is by reservation only and typically sells out quickly. This year’s performance is full, but tickets are available for all three public performances taking place on Saturday, December 9 at 2pm and 7pm and Sunday, December 10 at 2pm. Tickets can be purchased at artstoledo.com/nutcracker or by calling 419.246.8000. For discounted group rates, please contact Mickey Emch at memch@artstoledo.com.  

HOW TO ATTEND: 

What: Toledo Ballet’s 83rd annual production of The Nutcracker 
When: Saturday, December 9 at 2pm and 7pm; Sunday December 10 at 2pm 

Where: Stranahan Theater 

Cost: Tickets start at $25 

More info: Visit artstoledo.com/nutcracker, stop by the TAPA Box Office located at 1838 Parkwood Avenue, or call 419.246.8000, Monday-Friday, 9-5PM 

For more information on Toledo Ballet’s 81st production of The Nutcracker, please contact Vanessa Gardner, Vice President of Marketing & Operations at vgardner@artstoledo.com. 

### 

ABOUT TOLEDO BALLET 

Toledo Ballet was founded in 1939 by Marie Bollinger Vogt. A native of Toledo, Vogt taught dance at an early age at the Bach Conservatory in Toledo and studied at George Balanchine’s School of American Ballet, the premier ballet academy in the nation, bringing back to the region the forefront of dance instruction and choreography, including classical Greek, classical Spanish, and Flamenco dance, in addition to classical and contemporary ballet. 

In 1941, only two years after the founding of Toledo Ballet, the first production of The Nutcracker in the United States took place in Toledo, Ohio, complete with live orchestral accompaniment by the Friends of Music, a precursor to the Toledo Symphony. Though only an abridgement of the score was permitted out of Russia at the end of the Great Depression and the onset of World War II, more and more of the score would be released over time, and Toledo Ballet continued to grow the production. To this day, Toledo Ballet holds the record for the longest, consecutive-running production of The Nutcracker in the nation, perpetuating a beloved holiday tradition that has become synonymous with Christmas. 

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 80-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. 

In 2022, professional dancer, educator, and choreographer Eric Otto was appointed as Toledo Ballet’s Artistic Director & Head of Curriculum.