It’s the 20th Anniversary Year for the Chambersburg Ballet Theatre (CBT) School, located in Chambersburg’s historic Capitol Theatre, and its regional performing company, The Chambersburg Ballet. As the School has grown and developed over the past two decades, this will be the first time in its history that the Chambersburg Ballet is able to produce its annual Nutcracker performances completely with dancers trained at the CBT School. This includes all leading male roles, as well as the difficult and challenging role of the Sugarplum Fairy. These roles traditionally have cost several thousand dollars or more for a single performance run. To have a completely “homegrown” cast is a landmark achievement for any regional ballet company, especially in a small city such as Chambersburg. The role of the Nutcracker Prince will be performed by Cole Nissely, who is also a pre-med student at Shippensburg University, and the role of the Snow King by Andre McFarlane, an art student at Hagerstown Community College. Chambersburg Ballet Resident Artist Marina Addlesberger will portray the Sugarplum Fairy. CBT School and Chambersburg Ballet Founder and Artistic Director Lavinia Reid is the production’s

choreographer.

The twenty-two member company was chosen by audition in September, and almost immediately began preparations for The Nutcracker, which will be the first of three performance runs during ts 2018-19 Performance Season.

The Chambersburg Ballet’s Nutcracker performances this year will take place on Saturday, December 15th at 7:00 p.m., with a Sunday, December 16th Matinee at 3:00 p.m. . Performances will take place on the main stage of the historic Capitol Theatre, 159 South Main St., Chambersburg. Performances will honor the memory of Lillian Miller, a long-time supporter of the company who spent long hours sitting and sewing costumes in the Ballet’s waiting area. Lillian was like a grandmother to the young dancers, and a friend to all. It will be a fitting tribute to this selfless volunteer for the Chambersburg Ballet, in their first year with all “homegrown” performers, to honor someone who so selflessly gave of herself to help the CBT School and Chambersburg Ballet grow and flourish. Tickets for the Chamberburg’s Nutcracker are available at the Capitol Theatre Box office, (717)263-0202, or online at: www.thecapitoltheatre.org . For more information about the Chambersburg Ballet, visit: www.chambersburgballet.org or on Facebook.