By “It’s where ballerinas are born,” says Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre principal Julia Erickson about “The Nutcracker.” It’s a proving ground where core members get the opportunity to dance solos in hopes they might be elevated to soloist or principal. Danielle Downey, a member of the core, remembers seeing “The Nutcracker” performed by the Lake Erie Ballet when she was 6 years old. “I wanted to be on stage.”
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre will wrap up its 2015 performances of “The Nutcracker” on Sunday at noon. The production has 170 cast members with 150 characters. Pittsburgh references are sprinkled throughout artistic director Terrence Orr’s version of “The Nutcracker.” “You can see it multiple times and see something new each time. The production is rich with lots of details and different dancers performing the roles,” says Ms. Erickson.