Los Angeles Ballet | Dec. 28 Matinee
Dolby Theatre, Hollywood
By Peggy Phillips
Photos by Cheryl Mann Productions
Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 1/1/26 – There is something quietly brave about presenting The Nutcracker in the softened light of a matinee. At the Dec. 28 performance, Los Angeles Ballet leaned into intimacy rather than excess, revealing a production shaped by musical intelligence, warmth, and a finely tuned sense of humor.
Rather than overwhelming with spectacle, this Nutcracker favors clarity of intention. The opening party scene unfolds like a half-remembered holiday, gently blurred at the edges, alive with social nuance rather than rigid formality. Children are not ornamental here; they are essential. Their presence grounds the ballet in anticipation and innocence, reminding us that this story begins with imagination stirring to life.
The choreography, by Thordal Christensen and Colleen Neary, is rooted in classical tradition while resisting rigidity. Movement phrases breathe. Port de bras feel conversational rather than prescribed. In the matinee setting, this restraint reads beautifully, allowing sincerity and musicality to outweigh bravura.
HUMOR, HEART, AND STORYTELLING
The mice and battle scene is a standout for its wit. Instead of leaning solely into danger, the choreography embraces humor through timing and character. The mice skitter and die with mischievous intelligence, drawing genuine laughter from the audience without tipping into parody. It is playful, smartly staged comedy, theatrical storytelling that delights children while rewarding adults with knowing charm.
ACT II: A LIVING DREAM
Act II unfolds as a dreamscape rather than a procession. Divertissements feel connected, like shifting moods within the same dream. The Arabian variation suspends time with controlled sensuality and lush phrasing. The Russian dance brings grounded power and rhythmic clarity, its boldness providing striking contrast. The Waltz of the Flowers blooms with architectural elegance, patterns expanding and contracting as if guided by breath itself.
The costumes deserve special mention for their role in shaping the visual poetry of the production. Designed by Chloée O’Hayon-Crosby, they move seamlessly from the warmth and period detail of the opening party scene to the richness and fantasy of Act II. Each costume enhances character and movement without overwhelming them, supporting the choreography while contributing texture, color, and storytelling clarity.
What elevates this production artistically is its deep musical sensitivity. Set to the timeless score by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, the dancers listen, truly listen, allowing movement to respond to orchestration rather than mere counts. Crescendos travel through the spine; pauses are honored. The ballet feels composed from the inside out.
The Sugar Plum Fairy, often presented as an exercise in technique, is rendered here with quiet command. Restraint becomes her strength, refinement speaking more eloquently than display. Kate Inoue’s Sugar Plum Fairy is beautifully supported by Marcos Ramirez, whose strength and elegance are evident in the way he effortlessly lifts and turns her with calm assurance, allowing her artistry to remain weightless and serene.
The Los Angeles Ballet Orchestra, under the baton of Conductor Gavriel Heine, provided a rich and responsive musical foundation, elevating each phrase with sensitivity and precision.
The visual environment is completed by sets designed by Catherine Kanner and lighting designed by Penny Jacobus, executed by Nathan Scheuer. Together, they frame the dancers with atmosphere rather than spectacle, allowing space, shadow, and color to support the ballet’s emotional arc.
DEC. 28 MATINEE CAST
(as listed in the official program)
ACT I
Clara — Natalia Burns
Fritz — Luca Aguilar
Clara’s Friends — Kyrstin Nguyen, Arianna Armillei
Mrs. Staulbaum — Paige Wilkey
Mr. Staulbaum — Marco Biella
Uncle Drosselmeyer — Adrian Blake-Mitchell
Harlequin — Stephen Kessler
Columbine — Poppy Coleman
Cossack Doll — Evan Gorbell
The Nutcracker — Jacob Soltero
Mouse King — Bryce Broedell
Baby Mouse — Ysé Gazal
ACT II
Marie — Kate Inoue
The Prince — Marcos Ramirez
Spanish — Julianne Kinasiewicz, Anna Jacobs, Nick Sedano, Bryce Broedell
Arabian — Lilly Fife, Jake Ray
Russian — Evan Gorbell, Theo Swank, Rony Baseman
Mother Ginger — Olivia Flanyak
Rose (Sugar Plum Fairy) — Sarah-Ashley Chicola
Flowers — Cleo Taneja, Taylor Hugens, Chloe Oronoz, Sarah Hurty, Anna Funakura, Ashley Chung
FINAL IMPRESSION
The Dec. 28 matinee revealed The Nutcracker not as a seasonal obligation, but as a living meditation on wonder, enriched by humor, musical honesty, and moments of genuine delight. Los Angeles Ballet invites audiences of all ages to remember not just the holidays, but the joy of imagination itself. I’m already looking forward to their spring performance of Giselle, one of my all-time favorite ballets. I won’t miss it, and neither should you.
