What's Happening in Hartford, CT…

Tchaikovsky's ‘Nutcracker Suite’ is a seasonal classic, and Hartford, like many other cities, is presenting it as a holiday treat.

However, the version coming to Connecticut's capital is a different version of the story. The event, ‘Nutcracker Suite & Spicy’, will be performed at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, according to the Hartford Courant.

The updated version is a full-length production comprising two acts, but it incorporates some of Duke Ellington's music in both big-band and rock styles. It also features ‘Mad Russian Christmas’ by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra in the finale.

The opening scene is an “ugly sweater party” rather than a traditional Christmas one, where the Land of Sweets becomes a nightclub, with characters costumed as mixed drinks, including the Sugar Rum Cherry. The toy soldiers break into a tap dance, accompanied by Lucie, a labradoodle who wears a tutu.

This is the seventh year in a row that Hartford residents will be treated to the whimsical version of the dance, which premiered here in 2009. Performances are scheduled for December 9th and 10th at 8:00 pm, and a 2:00 pm matinee on the 11th. Tickets are $30, and those who like to splurge can attend an opening-night party at Peppercorns Grill. The price is $45, which includes admission to the ballet.

Events like these can be enhanced if organizers work with poster printing companies, which can create colorful, beautiful placards to memorialize the performance.