‘Nutcracker’ will be performed in Ringgold

Published 11:25 pm Saturday, August 28, 2010

“The Nutcracker” is moving north.

The traditional Christmas production by the Dalton Arts Project will be held at The Colonnade in Ringgold instead of Dalton High School in December, said Berrien Long, the artistic director at DAP who will coordinate her 18th “Nutcracker” performance this year. She said the nonprofit organization’s board made the decision to move. The performances have been held over one weekend in December. But due to increased popularity — there has been a waiting list for tickets — the group needed a larger theater, she said. The seven shows last December drew 3,500 attendees. About 350 children and adults participate in “The Nutcracker” each year.

“We have so many dancers that want to be in it and so many people that want to see it that we’ve sold out seven performances the last two years,” Long said. “We had to add an eighth performance, so that meant another weekend, so that was the best venue that we could use this year.”

Rehearsals will still be in Dalton. The performances will now be Dec. 3 and 4 and Dec. 10 and 11. Long said she didn’t want to ask officials at Dalton High School, where “The Nutcracker” has traditionally been, to use its theater for two straight weekends.

“They need it for their own things they do, as well,” Long said.

DAP representatives looked at options in Dalton, including the Northwest Georgia Trade and Convention Center and The Wink Theatre.

“The problem here in Dalton is there really isn’t a true theater you can hang sets in,” Long said. “We love The Wink. We use it for our recital. We love Dalton High because we use it for  our March concert with our company girls and ‘The Nutcracker.’”

The decision to move was “hard” because of the event’s far-reaching ties to Dalton, Long said. Thousands of children have appeared in the “The Nutcracker,” which features elaborate, custom-designed sets and costumes and involves hours upon hours of rehearsals.

“I love Dalton,” said Long, a native of the city. “I would love to stay here if we could find a venue. I would do it in the street if I could. We’re 15 miles up the road. We figure we travel for football games and baseball games, we can travel for our little ‘Nutcracker.’”