The Nutcracker

Act I

Scene I - Germany: On Christmas Eve, families stop by vendors to buy presents on their way to a party at the Straubaum household.

Scene II - The Parlor: After being welcomed by Herr & Frau Straubaum, and their children Clara and Fritz, mysterious visitors arrive. They are Herr Drosselmyer and his nephew, with gifts and surprises for all. The girls receive dolls, the boys receive toy guns. Clara is given a nutcracker doll. Despite its ugliness, she falls in love with it. Fritz is jealous of the special attention Clara is receiving, and so he leads the boys in some mischief: snatching away the dolls of the girls. The nutcracker is broken! Herr Drosselmyer binds the doll's wounds with his handkerchief, and brings out three huge boxes to entertain the guests. Each contains a magic doll: a strikingly lifelike soldier, a mouse, and an exotic Arabian dancer. All too soon, it is time for the guests to leave. After the maids have cleaned up, Clara sneaks back into the parlor, and falls asleep with her nutcracker.

Scene III - The Parlor and Forest: Suddenly, Clara is awakened by the scurrying of giant mice in the parlor. Frightened, the girl does her best to keep out of their way. Her situation worsens when a fearful Rat King appears, rallying his subjects to attack Clara. Just when things look disastrous, her Nutcracker comes to life. His soldiers valiently try to fight back the mice, but both the Rat King and Nutcracker are killed. (The Rat King, incidentally, is put to rest when Clara throws her shoe at him to distract him) Now, the Nutcracker is transformed to a handsome prince (who looks strikingly like the nephew of Herr Drosselmyer), because if he didn't come back to life, we wouldn't have much of a story, now would we? Not only is the nutcracker transformed, but the parlor turns into a snowy forest. Angels guide our heroes to where the Snow Queen is dancing with her snowflakes.

Intermission

Act II

Scene I - The Land of Sweets: The Prince has taken Clara to his kingdom, the Land of Sweets. As they sit on the throne, representatives of delicious eatables from all around the world dance in honor of the braveness of the two. (Spanish Chocolate, Chinese Tea, Arabian Coffee, Peppermint Candy Reed Flutes, Marzipan, bakers, Mother Ginger and her children, the Sugar Plum Fairy, and Russian delacacies. As a farewell to Clara, a special Waltz of the Flowers is performed, led by the Dewdrop Fairies. All too soon, the Prince returns Clara to her home.

Scene II - The Parlor: Clara's parents enter the parlor, and find their daughter asleep near the Christmas tree. They wake her gently, and she tells them a curious tale.. something about a battle, and her nutcracker coming to life, and a Sugar Plum Fairy...?