Tag Archives: HRB

Family / fun

The Nutcracker

5 Comments

The Houston Repertoire Ballet presentations of the Nutcracker Ballet are December 3 – 5. Tickets are $15-18. It is your best holiday entertainment value.  Nice theater, good show and no having to to drive downtown!

Guys, impress your wives/girlfriends and take them to see some fine arts.  It is a big hit with kids because it is colorful, fast moving and has many short scenes.

Click here for tickets and more information.

I’ll be playing the role of Dr. Stahlbaum (the opening scene party host) for all the shows.  I’m retiring after this year! My youngest daughter is the real performer.  She has various lead roles in each show.  My wife is helping make the costumes.  It is fun having something the whole family is involved in.

If you bring any young kids who want to meet the dancers after the show just let me know and I can arrange that.

My oldest is performing in the Nutcracker at the professional company where she is a trainee.  We’re excited to go see that one as well.

Family / fun

It’s a party every Saturday!

Leave a comment

The title of the post is the nickname for the Nutcracker rehearsals each Saturday when the “party scene” is rehearsed.  The actual performances are Friday, December 4 – Sunday, December 6.

This year I get to play Dr. Stahlbaum, the host of the party, for two of the shows and a regular “party dad” for two other shows.  I always like to learn something new.  The party guys are wearing tuxes this year instead of old-timey duds, so that will be a fun change. 

My youngest has a bunch of good roles, including the Dewdrop Fairy (my favorite).  My wife is helping make a lot of the costumes.  My oldest is performing in the Nutcracker at the professional company where she is a trainee.  We’re excited to go see that one as well. 

It is your best holiday entertainment value – $18 for adults, $12 for students and seniors.  Nice theater, good show and no having to to drive downtown!  Guys, impress your wives/girlfriends and take them to see some fine arts.  It is a big hit with kids because it is colorful, fast moving and has many short scenes. 

Go here to order tickets for the Houston Repertoire Ballet production of the Nutcracker. 

Family / fun

The Nutcracker Ballet (the “t” is silent)

2 Comments

Ticket still available for the shows on December 5 -7.

Go to HRB Tickets or buy them at the door.

—

This is my annual Nutcracker post, which is one of those family pieces that not everyone will care about.  You’ve been warned. 

If you are in the NW Houston area and would like to get tickets to any of the shows (December 5-7), click here.  It really is your best holiday entertainment value.  No need to drive downtown and pay higher ticket prices for the Houston Ballet. 

They used a picture of Daughter 2 in the poster again this year.

I love Nutcracker weekend.  The kids work so hard and finally get to perform five shows over three days and spend lots of time with their friends.  A few professionals are brought in, including two from New York’s American Ballet Theatre.

This will be my fourth year to be part of the production.  It is sort of a glorified crowd scene role (one of the guys joked that we are just there as eye candy – ha!).  There are six families in the opening party scene, so they need some dads to be involved.  The role is referred to as “Party Dad,” but not in the sense of, “Woo-hoo!  Hey hey!  Party Dad!”  We basically mingle, pretend to talk, and do some limited old-timey dancing (not ballet). 

The girls each have a bunch o’ roles.  Daughter #1 is the Snow Queen, Dewdrop Fairy and others.  It is her last year so she will have lots of stage time in the lead roles.  Daughter #2 is the lead Arabian, Harlequin Doll and in the cast of several group numbers.  They’ve been in the shows nearly 10 years, starting with roles as mice, so it is fun to see them dance more and more every year.