Claire Cook, Chelsea Cockburn in Shreveport Met Ballet's Nutcracker on Dec 8, 10 at Riverview Theater

Claire Cook, Chelsea Cockburn in Shreveport Met Ballet's version of the Nutcracker / Pat Harrington photo

Chelsea Cockburn and Claire Cook will share the role of Clara in performances of Shreveport Metropolitan Ballet's The Nutcracker. Shows will take place on Friday, December 8, at 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday, December 10, at 3 p.m, says Susan Gross. Both shows will be at the Riverview Theater (formerly the Civic Theater) in downtown Shreveport.

The Shreveport Symphony Orchestra will accompany both performances. Guest dancers from the Milwaukee Ballet will perform the grand Sugar Plum Fairy pas de deux.

Other principal roles will be danced by SMB’s Junior and Senior Companies, consisting of 33 local young dancers. Rounding out the cast will be children from five area dance studios, bringing the total number of performers to well over one hundred.

Dancing the Snow Queen role will be Mary Jane Hobgood and Miriam Estes. The Dew Drop Fairy will be performed by Sydney Normand and Emily Camden. Portraying the life-size dancing dolls will be Casey Bevens, Caitlin McManigell, Chelsea Smith, Carolyn Murphy, Kelsee Green, and Emily Young. Tom Pace, host of the popular Talk of the Town radio program, will appear in the comic role of Mother Ginger.

Other soloists will be John Bogan as Doctor Drosselmeyer, Andre Pitre as the Nutcracker, and William Caleb Gaston as the Mouse King.

Artistic Directors of SMB are Kendra Meiki and Adrienne Brooks-Johnson. They have been rehearsing the dancers for The Nutcracker since September. “We’re going to have some exciting surprises in the choreography this year,” Meiki said. “We’re also featuring beautiful new costumes for the Waltz of the Flowers, Chocolate From Spain, Marzipan Shepherdesses, and Christmas Eve Party scenes.”

Ticket prices range from $10 to $30. Group discount rates are available. For further information, to reserve tickets, or to reserve spots at the luncheon, patrons can call the SMB office on weekdays between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.: (318) 459-1457. During the week preceding the performances, patrons can also visit the Riverview Theater box office from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. or phone: (318) 673-5108.