Move Over, Nutcracker!

From Thanksgiving to New Years, it’s not always easy to get away from sugar plums and snowflakes. But this weekend, Diana Byer’s New York Theatre Ballet will take a quick break from Nutcracker to present another holiday favorite at Carnegie Hall—A Charlie Brown Christmas. They’re joining members of The New York Pops (conducted by Steve Reineke), TADA! Youth Theater and Tony nominee John Tartaglia (Avenue Q) to bring the iconic Charles Schultz animated comedy to life. Tartaglia will narrate, which, doesn’t quite make sense since the classic television special isn’t narrated… But good grief, Charlie Brown, forget about the technicalities and get in the spirit! Choreography for this premiere is by musical theater vet Liza Gennaro, who I’m hoping has retained at least some of Schultz’s original movement:

Six children from Ballet School NY and seven New York Theatre Ballet pros will take the main stage at Carnegie Hall, including principal artist Elena Zahlmann as the lovably mischievous beagle, Snoopy. NYTB will also continue its annual production of Keith Michael’s Nutcracker (the version lauded by Ronald Alexander in our Nutcracker feature this month) through Sunday at the Florence Gould Hall.

For tickets and more information on NYTB’s winter happenings, click here. And in the great words of Linus, “Lights please.”