The Hip Hop Nutcracker

The Hip Hop Nutcracker

DEC 6 | Cobb Great Hall

Program

Wharton Center for Performing Arts
and
Executive Producer EVA PRICE
present

The Hip Hop Nutcracker

Adapted by

MIKE FITELSON

Based on The Nutcracker by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky

with Special Guest MC
KURTIS BLOW

  • DJ BOO
  • ANTHONY “OMEN” CABRERA
  • ESITA “FLYYA” CALHOUN
  • ATHENA CRUZ
  • MICHAEL DELGADO
  • HALIMA DODO
  • ETHAN EVARO
  • G’BARI “GQ” GILLIAM
  • SETH “REAKTION” HILLARD
  • TRENT JERAY
  • BAPTISTA KAWA
  • TUMELO “MELO” KHUPE
  • MARISSA LICATA
  • ZUCE MORALES
  • JESSE SMITH
  • JANAE VALENTINE

Produced by
NEW JERSEY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
JOHN SCHREIBER, President & CEO
DAVID RODRIGUEZ, Executive Producer
SIMMA LEVINE, Producer

  • Costume Designer
    KATY FREEMAN
  • Lighting Designer
    BRANDON STIRLING BAKER
  • Projection Designer
    HANNA S. KIM
  • Associate Choreographer
    RANDI “RASCAL” FREITAS
  • Original Beats & Remixes
    DJ BOO
  • Casting
    RITA MAYE CASTING
  • Tour Marketing
    ALLIED GLOBAL MARKETING
  • Press Representative
    TELLEM GRODY PR
  • General Manager
    MAXIMUM ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTIONS
  • Company Manager
    DOUG RODGERS
  • Production Supervisor
    JOHN FORTUNATO
  • Exclusive Tour Direction
    BROADWAY & BEYOND THEATRICALS

Directed & Choreographed by

JENNIFER WEBER

Featuring freestyles by the Company

Setting & Story

Act I – During the annual uptown holiday street party, Maria-Clara is upset by her parents’ constant bickering. The mysterious Drosselmeyer appears, bringing magical toys to the party. Drosselmeyer then introduces Maria-Clara to a street vendor selling roasted nuts, who catches her eye because he is different from the other boys on the block. After the party breaks up, Maria-Clara heads home, but on her way, she runs into the menacing Mouse Crew. The Nutcracker, aided by a magic pair of sneakers, defeats the Mouse King and the couple enjoys the romance of winter’s first snowfall.

The Hip Hop Nutcracker will be performed with one 20-minute intermission.

Act II – Drosselmeyer meets Maria-Clara and the Nutcracker and takes them back in time to the Land of Sweets nightclub on New Year’s Eve, 1984. Invisible, the couple watches the party-goers show off the dance styles of the day. Suddenly Maria-Clara realizes she is witnessing the night her parents first met and is overcome by how they were once deeply in love. Back in the present, and with a little more magic, Maria-Clara and The Nutcracker help Mom and Dad reconcile. The community joins them in the celebration.

Cast

CAST OF CHARACTERS

  • Special Guest MC
  • KURTIS BLOW
  • The Nutcracker
  • ANTHONY “OMEN” CABRERA
  • Chocolate, Ensemble
  • ESITA “FLYYA” CALHOUN
  • Tea, Ensemble
  • ATHENA CRUZ
  • Toy, Ensemble
  • MICHAEL DELGADO
  • Maria-Clara
  • HALIMA DODO
  • Dad
  • G’BARI “GQ” GILLIAM
  • Mouse King, Ensemble
  • SETH “REAKTION” HILLARD
  • Flute, Ensemble
  • TRENT JERAY
  • Candy, Ensemble
  • BAPTISTA KAWA
  • Drosselmeyer
  • TUMELO “MELO” KHUPE
  • Toy, Ensemble
  • ZUCE MORALES
  • Mom
  • JESSE SMITH

ADDITIONAL CREDITS

  • Assistant Company Manager
  • MICHELE METZGER
  • Production Manager
  • SHANE ANDERSON
  • Costume Design Assistant
  • AZAEL ACOSTA
  • Associate Lighting Designer
  • COBY CHASMAN-BECK
  • Associate Projection Designer
  • JESUS HURTADO
  • Prop Design and Construction
  • JACKSON BERKLEY
  • Moving Light Programmer
  • JEFF ENGLANDER
  • Moving Light Programmer
  • TOM SNYDER
  • Projection Unreal Artist
  • MARII YOSHIDA
  • Projection Animator
  • PATRICIA LUNA
  • QLab Programmer
  • SCOTT GARNER
  • Production Electrician
  • JOHN WEATHERS
  • Electrician
  • ROBERT VIRZERA
  • Wardrobe Supervisor
  • JENNA TRAVIS
  • Stitcher
  • WHITNEY OPPENHEIMER
  • Production Assistant
  • HARRISON NEWTON
  • Original Company Associate Director/Choreographer
  • TAEKO KOJI
  • Digital Marketing
  • FORTUNE WEB MARKETING
  • Production Photography
  • TIMOTHY NORRIS
  • Tour Promotional Video
  • CARRINGTON SPIRES
  • Social Media Captain
  • JANAE VALENTINE
  • Physical Therapy
  • NEURO TOUR PHYSICAL THERAPY, INC.
  • Director of People & Inclusion
  • COLETTE LUCKIE
  • Travel Agent
  • ROAD REBEL GLOBAL
  • Lighting and Projection Equipment
  • PRG LIGHTING
  • Trucking
  • CLARK TRANSFER

 
GENERAL MANAGEMENT
MAXIMUM ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTIONS

  • Eva Price
  • Carl Flanigan
  • Jimmy Wilson
  • Corbin McConnell
  • Dedrick McAlmont
  • Dhyana Colony
  • Priscilla Villanueva
  • Avram Freedberg
  • Mary Beth Dale

 
EXCLUSIVE TOUR DIRECTION
BROADWAY AND BEYOND THEATRICALS

  • Tracey McFarland
  • Jaymi Gilmour
  • Monica Smith

 
TOUR MARKETING
ALLIED GLOBAL MARKETING

  • Andrew Damer
  • Jennifer Gallagher
  • Scott Praefke
  • Hayden Anderson
  • Adina Hsu
  • Amenkha Sembenu
  • Emily Toppen

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Originally produced by the United Palace of Cultural Arts Mike Fitelson, Executive Director 


SDC
The Director-Choreographer is a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, a national theatrical labor union.


WARNING
The photographing or sound recording of any performance or the possession of any device for such photographing or sound recording inside this theatre, without the written permission of the management, is prohibited by law. Violators may be punished by ejection and violations may render the offender liable for money damages.

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Wharton Center offers a diverse selection of arts entertainment. Not all productions may appeal to or be appropriate for every person or for all ages. Patrons are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the shows we offer in order to make informed decisions prior to purchasing tickets.

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Wharton Center gratefully recognizes our Circle Members for their philanthropic contribution, our Legacy donors who have chosen to support with their estate plans, individuals and organizations that have established named endowments to support Wharton Center, and our corporate sponsors.

Wharton Center would like to acknowledge the members of IATSE local 274.