Nutcracker Info for Parents

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Aloha Cast of the 2025 Nutcracker,   Welcome to the official beginning of our Nutcracker rehearsal period! We are looking forward to getting started with all of you! I want to take a moment to explain a few things about the schedule as we have been getting many questions.   Scheduling: Here is the link to our schedule document. It is subject to change, but I have added the first two weeks of October. Please note that while rehearsals are roughly the same from week to week, there are slight time variations, so read carefully. I recommend you save the link to this document as it is live and will update automatically:   2025 Nuts Rehearsal Schedule   Notice that on Wednesday, October 8 we have our media launch at Shriner’s Childrens’ Hospital. This is something we have done for several years. It is a short performance of excerpts from our Nutcracker, performed outdoors. Attendees include children currently under the hospital’s care and their families, as well as representatives from the local media. I would like to bring the following selections. If you are in cast in one of these roles, OR an understudy for one of these roles, please let me know as soon as possible if you are available:

• Clara
• Butterflies
• Orchids
• I’iwis
• Chinese Umbrellas and Ribbon girls (no Garry, Fisherboy or Fish Tail)
• Warriors

Party and Battle Scene Rehearsals: Please refer to this document to determine if your role is in one of these scenes:   Nutcracker Roles by Scene   Note that not all dancers for each scene will start immediately this week with rehearsals. Here is a general outline of each:

• Party
  • Party children will begin on Monday 9/15 with Ms. Susan. This includes Fritz, but not Clara. Girlfriends should come if available, but not critical as I will see you on Tuesdays with Clara.
  • Saturday 9/20 will be the Decorating Scene only: John and Mary Dominus, Grandfather, Maids, Silberhaus, Clara, Fritz, Butler, Housekeeper
  • Children will continue on Mondays with Ms. Susan.
  • All except Drosselmeyer, Nephew/Prince, Beggars, and Dowager will come on Saturdays beginning 9/27.
  • Drosselmeyer and Nephew/Prince will join early to mid-October.
  • Dowager and Beggars will join in November.
• Battle
  • Soldiers and Geckos will begin on Wednesday 9/17. Rats and Dolls will begin this Saturday 9/20, but be separate from the Soldiers and Geckos.
  • Equestrians will join the Soldiers and Geckos on Wednesday 10/8.
  • Clara and the Prince will rehearse this scene separately in their own rehearsal block on Fridays.
  • In mid to late October I will combine the full battle scene (Soldiers, Rats, Clara, Prince, Geckos, Equestrians, Dolls, Drosselmeyer)

Make-up Classes: Often BHW dancers need to come to town for rehearsal, and so will miss their regularly scheduled BHW classes. Whenever possible, they should take class in HNL on the same day as their rehearsal. In addition, I know there are a few dancers who have rehearsals scheduled during their regular class time in HNL. Typically Ballet Hawaii’s policy is to only allow 2-4 make-up classes per session (depending on class level), but as we are the ones causing you to miss your regular class, this does not apply. You make up as many classes as you miss for rehearsals at your convenience, but within the same session. (You may not save up your makeup classes for the Winter or Spring). Please just email hnlfrontdesk@ballethawaii.org or bhwfrontdesk@ballethawaii.org to let them know when you will be coming. Dancers should always do make-ups in a class at or below their level, unless requested by Ballet Hawaii to do otherwise. We have created this document to help you to see where you may need to make up a class:   Class Conflicts   Please let me know if I have missed you, or you are still unclear in any way. As always, please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions. Thank you all for your time and commitment to the Nutcracker!   Ms. Christine