Every winter it comes: the tunes, the tinsel, the toys—and the tale of Clara, a young girl traveling to a kingdom of sweets with a magical Nutcracker prince. Chicago’s oldest production of The Nutcracker, choreographed by Chicago ballet icon Ruth Page in 1965, has been a homegrown holiday tradition for decades. Initially choreographed for the 90-foot proscenium of the Arie Crown Theater at McCormick Place, Page’s Nutcracker, produced by the Chicago Tribune Charities, played to over 3 million people over 32 years, annually bringing together 70 dancers, 50 musicians, and guest luminaries from companies including the Royal Danish Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, National Ballet of Canada, English National Ballet, and Munich Bayerische Staatsoper to light up the stage in lead roles.
With distancing regulations in mind, Matteson Campana began to explore how the building’s layout charted a logical pathway for a pared-down story to unfold. The elegant lobby of the building could be decorated for the ballet’s party scene. The studios could be individual stages for beloved scenes such as Snow. The library on the second floor, transformed into a workshop, inspired the character development of Drosselmeyer, Clara’s mysterious uncle, who builds dolls and brings her the magical Nutcracker. And the Ruth Page stage could be reserved as the domain for the Sugar Plum Fairy.
“Next year is the school’s 50th anniversary,” says Matteson Campana. “Ruth Page was really innovative and did all kinds of crazy stuff. We have the opportunity to do that now too, to push forward with amazing Chicago roots. We can grow and develop and stay fresh and get even fresher.”
Through Dec. 20, ruthpage.org/visions2020, $25 for 30 days of access. Also available: A Sugar Plum of a Tradition: Ruth Page’s “The Nutcracker” Past, Present & Future; documentary on the production’s history, through 12/31; ruthpage.org/sugarplum2020, $20 pay per view, $45 DVD.
