Making a New American NUTCRACKER

NARRATOR

IT'S A BRAND-NEW "NUTCRACKER."

WOMAN

CHRISTOPHER WHEELDON IS A CHOREOGRAPHER WHO HAD A BRILLIANT IDEA TO PLACE "THE NUTCRACKER" IN THE CHICAGO WORLD'S FAIR.

MAN

HE WANTED TO DO "THE NUTCRACKER" WITH POOR PEOPLE INSTEAD OF RICH PEOPLE. WORKING IN THE WORLD'S FAIR.

MAN 2

IT'S MAMMOTH. IT'S THE SIZE OF A BROADWAY MUSICAL, BIGGER THAN A BROADWAY MUSICAL.

WOMAN 2

HIS WORLD OF THEATER AND BALLET, THERE SHOULD BE A NEW WORD FOR IT.

NARRATOR

COME BEHIND THE SCENES AND SEE THE MAKING OF A NEW AMERICAN "NUTCRACKER."

MAN 2

THE STORY BEHIND THAT STORY, IT'S EPIC.

"RUSSIAN DANCE" PLAYING

ANNOUNCER

"MAKING A NEW AMERICAN NUTCRACKER" IS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE GENEROSITY OF THE GRAINGER FOUNDATION OF LAKE FOREST, ILLINOIS.

CLASSICAL MUSIC PLAYING

ANNOUNCER

YOU'RE READY! MAN,

VOICE-OVER

DANCE IS MY LIFE. I STARTED WHEN I WAS 6 YEARS OLD IN OUR LITTLE VILLAGE IN SCOTLAND IN A TINY PLACE CALLED COULTER. THERE WAS A COMMUNITY HALL, AND ONCE A WEEK, THEY WOULD HAVE A BALLET CLASS, AND MY TEACHER PUSHED ME AT A VERY YOUNG AGE AND GOT ME TO GO TO LONDON TO THE ROYAL BALLET SCHOOL. AND PROBABLY THE CLOSEST WAY IS TO THINK OF BILLY ELLIOT.

MUSIC PLAYING

VOICE-OVER

LIFT. WHEATER, WHEN I CAME TO AMERICA, DANCED IN THE JOFFREY BALLET IN THE EIGHTIES, AND THEN WENT TO SAN FRANCISCO BALLET BEFORE I BECAME THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR AT THE JOFFREY BALLET. ONE LAST GROUP. OK, GUYS?

WOMAN

IT TURNED OUT TO BE A REAL INSPIRED CHOICE TO BRING HIM HERE. HE KNOWS EVERYBODY IN THE DANCE WORLD. AND HE ALSO UNDERSTOOD THAT ONE OF THE WAYS TO DEVELOP THE DANCERS IN HIS COMPANY IS TO BRING IN WORLD-CLASS CHOREOGRAPHERS WHO WOULD BUILD NEW PIECES ON THESE DANCERS. I'LL COME AND SEE YOU LATER.

OK.

NARRATOR

ASHLEY WHEATER MADE CHICAGO HIS NEW HOME WHEN HE WAS NAMED JOFFREY BALLET'S ARTISTIC DIRECTOR IN 2007. WHEATER FOUND HIS ADOPTED CITY INSPIRING.

WHEATER

WHEN YOU COME TO CHICAGO, IT'S SOLID. IT'S GRANITE AND BRICK AND STEEL. THAT STARTED MAKING ME KIND OF THINK ABOUT THE CITY AND THE HISTORY OF THE CITY, AND HOW YOU CAN USE YOUR CITY TO FURTHER YOUR ART. THE WORLD'S FAIR WAS A TRULY MAGICAL TURNING POINT FOR THIS CITY, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE GREAT FIRE.

EVERY TIME I THOUGHT ABOUT THE WORLD'S FAIR, IT JUST SEEMED MORE AND MORE IN LINE WITH A CHILD'S DREAM. IT WAS A KIND OF DREAM PLACE. SO MY MIND WAS TICKING. WHAT WOULD IT BE LIKE IF "THE NUTCRACKER" WAS SET IN THIS MAGICAL COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION?

NARRATOR

NOW ALL WHEATER NEEDED WAS THE RIGHT CHOREOGRAPHER.

MAN

AND I THINK HE KNEW I WOULD BE BOTH FOOLISH AND PERHAPS ADVENTUROUS ENOUGH TO SORT OF TAKE IT ON.

WEISS

CHRISTOPHER WHEELDON WON A TONY AWARD FOR HIS CHOREOGRAPHY FOR "AN AMERICAN IN PARIS." WITHOUT MUSIC, THERE IS NO DANCE AND THE "AMERICAN IN PARIS" MUSIC TEAM...

NARRATOR

CHRISTOPHER WHEELDON'S CAREER BEGAN AT THE ROYAL BALLET IN LONDON. BUT THE BRITISH-BORN TEENAGER HAD DREAMS OF JOINING THE NEW YORK CITY BALLET.

WHEELDON

I WAS SITTING AT HOME WATCHING TV AND THERE WAS A COMMERCIAL ON TV FOR A HOOVER VACUUM CLEANER.

TV ANNOUNCER

SPEND OVER �100 ON ANY HOOVER PRODUCT AND WE'LL GIVE YOU TWO RETURN FLIGHT SEATS TO EITHER NEW YORK...

WHEELDON

IF YOU BOUGHT THIS CERTAIN TYPE OF HOOVER, YOU COULD SEND OFF A VOUCHER AND GET A FREE ROUND-TRIP TICKET TO THE U.S.

NARRATOR

HE NEVER USED THE HOOVER, BUT WHEELDON DID JOIN THE NEW YORK CITY BALLET AND BECAME AN ACCLAIMED CHOREOGRAPHER. HIS PRODUCTIONS OF "SWAN LAKE" AND "SLEEPING BEAUTY," BOTH WITH SCORES BY RUSSIAN COMPOSER PETER ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY, WERE REVOLUTIONARY. NOW IT WAS TIME FOR WHEELDON TO TACKLE TCHAIKOVSKY'S BEST-KNOWN BALLET, "THE NUTCRACKER." FOR SO MANY PEOPLE, "THE NUTCRACKER" IS THEIR FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH BALLET. IT'S A GATEWAY TO DANCE.

EVERY YEAR WE'D COME AND SEE "NUTCRACKER." I JUST REMEMBER COMING WITH MY FAMILY. I'VE SEEN SOME SCHOOL PERFORMANCES OF "NUTCRACKER" IN JAPAN. THE FIRST TIME I HEARD "THE NUTCRACKER" WAS ON ONE SIDE OF A RECORD THAT MY PARENTS HAD. THE OTHER SIDE WAS "PETER AND THE WOLF." I DANCED IN GARDEN STATE BALLET'S PRODUCTION OF "THE NUTCRACKER" AS AN ANGEL.

I GOT CAST TO BE CLARA, AND IT WAS IN BRAZIL, IN RIO.

WOMAN

MY FIRST ROLE IN "THE NUTCRACKER" WAS A BUFFOON. WHAT REALLY MADE "THE NUTCRACKER" SUCCESSFUL WAS WHEN IT CAME TO AMERICA. GEORGE BALANCHINE DID HIS PRODUCTION OF "THE NUTCRACKER."

NARRATOR

CHRISTMAS DAY BROADCASTS IN THE 1950s OF CHOREOGRAPHER GEORGE BALANCHINE'S "THE NUTCRACKER" MADE IT A NATIONWIDE SENSATION.

WEISS

IT DID BECOME A CHRISTMAS RITUAL. AND NOW EVERYBODY DOES "THE NUTCRACKER." IT'S A BOX OFFICE SURETY BECAUSE IT KEEPS MANY COMPANIES AFLOAT FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR.

NARRATOR

THE JOFFREY BALLET'S FIRST "NUTCRACKER," CHOREOGRAPHED IN 1987 BY ROBERT JOFFREY WITH GERALD ARPINO, TURNED ITS BACK ON THE TRADITIONAL EUROPEAN SETTING AND PLACED IT IN AMERICA.

WHEATER

ROBERT JOFFREY REALLY WANTED TO MAKE IT ABOUT CHRISTMAS IN AMERICA. YOU FELT LIKE YOU WERE IN A CURRIER AND IVES PAINTING.

WEISS

I ALWAYS THOUGHT IT WAS LIKE THE ABRAHAM LINCOLN-ERA VERSION.

SMITH

IT WAS SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE A POP-UP BOOK, SORT OF, SO EVERYTHING WAS A LITTLE STORYBOOK-ESQUE. AND, I ALWAYS FELT LIKE "OH, THIS IS REALLY COOL." I LOVED THE PARTY SCENE.

WHEATER

THE PARTY SCENE IS REALLY ROBERT JOFFREY. IT HAS A HALLMARK OF EVERYTHING THAT THAT MAN WAS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, FAMILY, COMMUNITY, SPIRIT.

SPECK

THAT ENORMOUS TEAPIC.

NARRATOR

BUT ROBERT JOFFREY KEPT THE TRADITIONAL SETTING AT A CHRISTMAS EVE PARTY IN THE HOME OF AN UPPER-CLASS FAMILY.

LOPEZ

IT'S THIS, YOU KNOW, VERY LAVISH, WELL-TO-DO FAMILY. A GREAT VICTORIAN HOME.

NARRATOR

THE FAMILY'S DAUGHTER MARIE-- NAMED CLARA IN SOME VERSIONS-- RECEIVES A GIFT OF A NUTCRACKER DOLL FROM HER GODFATHER, HERR DROSSELMEYER, A MYSTERIOUS TOY MAKER. MARIE KIND OF GOES TO SLEEP WITH HER NUTCRACKER. SHE WAKES UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT TO FIND THAT MICE ARE EVERYWHERE, THE CHRISTMAS TREE HAS GROWN TO AN ENORMOUS SIZE, AND DROSSELMEYER HAS TURNED HER DOLL INTO A PRINCE. THE NUTCRACKER PRINCE BATTLES THE MICE, AND WITH MARIE'S HELP, KILLS THE MOUSE KING.

THE PRINCE THEN TAKES HER TO A SNOW KINGDOM OF SWEETS.

ASSUCENA

AND THEN THERE'S THE SECOND ACT WITH THE LAND OF SWEETS WHERE IT'S JUST COLORS AND DIFFERENT DANCES TO JUST KEEP YOU ENTERTAINED THE WHOLE TIME.

LOPEZ

SHE'S GREETED BY THE SUGAR PLUM FAIRY, AND THAT'S KIND OF IT.

NARRATOR

BUT WHEATER AND WHEELDON ALWAYS FOUND THE STORY'S MESSAGE TROUBLING.

WHEATER

MAYBE I'M JUST A WORKING-CLASS BOY, BUT PEOPLE SEE "THE NUTCRACKER" AS THIS VERY EXCLUSIVE WORLD. A PRIVILEGED CHILD WHO HAS EVERYTHING IN LIFE. SHE HAS A LOVING FAMILY. SHE HAS A BEAUTIFUL VICTORIAN HOME.

A KID THAT HAS MORE THAN SHE COULD EVER DREAM OF. AND THEN SHE FALLS ASLEEP AND DREAMS OF MORE-- MORE CANDY AND MORE ENTERTAINMENT. WHAT DO WE ALL WANT IN OUR LIFE? SHE DOESN'T NEED THE CANDY, SHE DOESN'T NEED THE ENTERTAINMENT.

BECAUSE MATERIAL GIFTS ARE ONE THING. WHAT SHE REALLY NEEDS IS, YOU KNOW, IS HER FAMILY.

NARRATOR

SO WHEATER AND WHEELDON DECIDED TO FOCUS THEIR STORY ON A WORKING-CLASS IMMIGRANT FAMILY. HE WANTED TO DO IT WITH POOR PEOPLE INSTEAD OF RICH PEOPLE, AND REALLY, LIKE WHAT OTHER MORE WONDERFUL THING COULD A PERSON WHO DOES WHAT I DO HEAR? AWARD-WINNING CHILDREN'S AUTHOR BRIAN SELZNICK, WHOSE ONLY STAGE EXPERIENCE WAS IN PUPPET THEATER, TOOK ON THE BRAVE CHALLENGE OF WRITING THE NEW VERSION. "THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET." LIKE, ONE OF MY FAVORITE KID'S BOOKS.

I'M A BIG CHILDREN'S LITERATURE FAN.

JONES

BRIAN SELZNICK'S WORK IS ABOUT HOW YOU CAN ESCAPE WHEN YOU'RE A KID BRIEFLY. THEN YOU'RE BACK.

NARRATOR

SELZNICK'S BOOK WAS ADAPTED BY MARTIN SCORSESE INTO THE OSCAR-WINNING MOVIE "HUGO."

SELZNICK

CHRIS SAID THAT HE HAD PUT TOGETHER A SHORT LIST OF AUTHORS WHOSE WORK HE REALLY LOVED. I NEVER CALLED HIM AND SAID I HAD A SHORT LIST OF WRITERS. I REALLY DIDN'T. I WAS AWARE I NEEDED TO DO A HUGE AMOUNT OF RESEARCH BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT BALLET OR "THE NUTCRACKER" OR MUSIC OR DANCE OR CHRIS.

NARRATOR

THE CHICAGO WORLD'S FAIR OF 1893, ALSO KNOWN AS THE WORLD'S COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION, CELEBRATED THE 400th ANNIVERSARY OF COLUMBUS' ARRIVAL IN THE NEW WORLD.

SELZNICK

FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, THE IDEA THAT THE WORLD WAS BROUGHT TOGETHER IN THIS ONE LOCATION, IT MADE THE WORLD FEEL SMALL, I THINK, AT A TIME WHEN IT JUST SIMPLY DIDN'T.

NARRATOR

THE FAIR WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY TO SHOW THE WORLD IT HAD RISEN FROM THE ASHES OF THE GREAT FIRE OF 1871.

MAN

MANY OF THESE BUILDINGS WERE THE LARGEST BUILDINGS THAT WERE EVER BUILT AT THAT TIME. THERE WAS ONE HALL, THE MANUFACTURERS' HALL, WHICH WAS SO LARGE. THERE WAS A QUOTE THAT THE STANDING RUSSIAN ARMY COULD FIT IN THERE AND STILL HAVE ROOM TO SPARE. ONE OF THE GREAT INNOVATIONS OF THE FAIR WAS THE INTRODUCTION OF THINGS ELECTRICAL.

AND SO RATHER THAN GAS LIGHT OR CANDLES, WE HAVE ELECTRICITY AND THE BIRTH OF THE FERRIS WHEEL.

BEY

THE TALLEST BUILDING IS ONLY, YOU KNOW, 150 FEET, MAYBE 200 FEET TALL, AND THIS FERRIS WHEEL IS TALLER THAN THAT AT THE TOP, HIGHER THAN ALMOST ANYONE HAS EVER BEEN UNLESS YOU'RE ON A MOUNTAIN OR A HILL. THERE'S THE FRONT. THAT'S THE FACADE. THAT'S THAT FACADE...

WHEATER,

VOICE-OVER

WE ALL DECIDED TO GET IN A CAR AND GET A FEELING OF WHAT THAT LAYOUT OF THE WORLD'S FAIR LOOKED LIKE, BECAUSE IT WAS AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF ACREAGE. YOU GET A SENSE OF THE GRANDEUR OF THE ARCHITECTURE WITHIN THE PARK.

NARRATOR

THE MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY WAS ONCE THE PALACE OF FINE ARTS. OF THE NEARLY 100 BUILDINGS ON THE FAIRGROUNDS, IT'S THE ONLY ONE LEFT STANDING.

WHEELDON

THEY WERE BUILT TO BE IMPERMANENT.

BEY

THEY WERE ONLY THERE FOR A SEASON, TO KIND OF SERVE THEIR TIME AND BOW OFF THE STAGE. AND THEN WE DISCOVERED THAT THE FAIR WAS BUILT MOSTLY BY IMMIGRANTS WHO HAD COME IN FROM AROUND THE WORLD TO HELP BUILD THIS PROFOUNDLY AMERICAN THING. AND YOU CAN SEE OLD FAIR SIGNS, AND THERE WERE SIGNS TO WORKERS THAT ARE WRITTEN IN EVERY LANGUAGE IN EUROPE.

NARRATOR

THE WORLD'S FAIR WAS TRULY INTERNATIONAL. THE MIDWAY, A LONG STRETCH ON THE FAIR'S WESTERN EDGE, WAS FILLED WITH MAKESHIFT VILLAGES WHERE FAIRGOERS COULD VISIT INDIGENOUS PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE WORLD FOR A SMALL FEE.

BEY

IF YOU WENT DOWN THE MIDWAY, WHERE YOU GET THE BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE AND THE DARKER EASTERN EUROPEAN PEOPLE, AND THEN YOU GET TO THIS PERFECT CITY WHERE EVERYTHING AND EVERYBODY IS WHITE.

NARRATOR

THE FAIR WAS OPEN FROM MAY TO OCTOBER OF 1893. SELZNICK'S JOB WAS TO ENSURE THEIR NEW "NUTCRACKER" TOOK PLACE ON CHRISTMAS EVE.

SELZNICK

SO I SAID TO CHRIS, "WE COULD SET IT 5 MONTHS "BEFORE THE FAIR OPENS WITH THE WORKERS WHO ARE BUILDING THE FAIR."

NARRATOR

ONE PHOTO CAUGHT THE TEAM'S ATTENTION.

SELZNICK

THE PHOTOGRAPH OF THIS LITTLE SHACK.

WHEELDON

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SORT OF SKELETAL STRUCTURES OF THESE HUGE PAVILIONS.

SELZNICK

WHERE SOME OF THE WORKERS MUST HAVE LIVED WHILE THEY WERE WORKING.

WHEELDON

THAT WAS THE INSPIRATION FOR THE OPENING SCENE.

NARRATOR

THE FAIR'S MASTERMIND WAS ARCHITECT AND CITY PLANNER DANIEL BURNHAM. HIS LARGER-THAN-LIFE ACHIEVEMENTS STILL INSPIRE.

BEY

YOU KNOW, ARCHITECT/PLANNER EXTRAORDINAIRE, THE STAR-CHITECT OF THE DAY, IF YOU WILL. FAMOUS QUOTE-- "MAKE NO LITTLE PLANS. THEY LACK THE MAGIC TO STIR MEN'S BLOOD." I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, "THAT'S WHO THE DROSSELMEYER FIGURE CAN BE." HE IS THE PERSON WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS MAGIC.

NARRATOR

SELZNICK NAMED THE BURNHAM-LIKE CHARACTER THE GREAT IMPRESARIO.

WEISS

THIS PRODUCTION DOES FREE ITSELF FROM THAT KIND OF GERMANIC MODEL OF DROSSELMEYER THE MAGICIAN AND KIND OF FAIRYTALE CHARACTER TO A MORE REALISTIC CHARACTER, STILL A MAGICIAN.

SELZNICK

AND I THINK I SAW A PHOTOGRAPH OF SOME WOMEN WHO WERE SCULPTING FOR THE FAIR, AND I JUST LOOKED AT IT. I WAS LIKE, WELL, THAT'S MARIE'S MOM. THERE SHE IS. AND SO THE GREAT GOLDEN STATUE OF THE WOMAN WITH HER ARMS RAISED, STANDING ON THE EDGE OF THE LAKE SEEMED LIKE THE RIGHT SCULPTURE FOR THE MOTHER TO BE WORKING ON.

AND SO I ENDED UP WRITING, I WOULD SAY, A 20-PAGE OUTLINE OF THE ENTIRE BALLET. HE DELIVERED ME A 35-PAGE SYNOPSIS. PAGES AND PAGES. WHAT I GAVE HIM WOULD HAVE REALLY MADE A GREAT 26-HOUR BALLET.

THIS PHENOMENAL 3 1/2-HOUR, PERHAPS 4-HOUR, EPIC MOVIE. THERE WAS JUST SO MUCH DENSITY IN IT, WHICH, IF YOU'RE READING A BOOK, YOU TOTALLY CAN LIVE IN IT, BUT IF YOU'RE CREATING A WORK, YOU NEED TO SIMPLIFY, BECAUSE THE CHOREOGRAPHY THEN BECOMES THE REST OF THE SENTENCE. STORYTELLING IN DANCE TAKES MUCH LONGER-- TWICE AS LONG, YOU KNOW. UM...I LOVE YOU IN A PLAY IS "I LOVE YOU." "I LOVE YOU" IN DANCE IS A SERIES OF STEPS.

I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT TAKES SOMEONE TO GET FROM UPSTAGE LEFT TO DOWNSTAGE RIGHT, BUT CHRIS COULD HEAR THE MUSIC AND IMAGINE ESSENTIALLY AN IDEA OF HOW MUCH STORY COULD BE COVERED IN THAT SECTION. AND ONE DAY, I JUST SAID TO HIM, "YOU KNOW WHAT, "BRIAN, I NEED YOU TO PUT THIS STORY "ON ONE PAGE. "IF YOU CAN PUT THIS STORY ON ONE PAGE, I CAN PUT THAT ONE-PAGE STORY ON STAGE." IT TOOK US ABOUT A YEAR TO WORK ON THE WRITTEN OUTLINE. THIS IS MARIE AND FRITZ'S HOME.

BUT IT IS ALSO WHERE THEIR MOTHER, A SCULPTRESS, DOES HER WORK. SHE'S WORKING ON A GOLDEN STATUE.

NARRATOR

THE COMPANY GATHERED TO HEAR THE STORY OF THE NEW AMERICAN "NUTCRACKER."

WHEELDON

HE KNEW AS WELL THE GAMBLE THAT IT WOULD BE TO BE REPLACING THE JOFFREY "NUTCRACKER," PERHAPS THE MOST SUCCESSFUL PRODUCTION IN THE HISTORY OF THE JOFFREY BALLET. THE PLAN IS...

MENDOZA

WHEN THE COMPANY WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE A NEW "NUTCRACKER," A LOT OF US WERE ANGRY. PEOPLE WERE VERY ATTACHED TO THE ROBERT JOFFREY VERSION. IT'S A CLASSIC. YOU THINK, "OH, GOD." WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE THE "NUTCRACKER"?

I WAS KIND OF, "OH, OK, A NEW PRODUCTION. WEIRD." IT WAS A BITTERSWEET FEELING. I KNEW THAT IT WAS GOING TO HAVE TO HAPPEN AT SOME POINT. WHEELDON,

VOICE-OVER

THE "NUTCRACKER" CAN BE A LITTLE BIT OF A BLACK CLOUD FOR A BALLET COMPANY, YOU KNOW. IT HAPPENS EVERY YEAR. OFTEN YOU'RE DANCING THE SAME ROLES. IT'S THAT MUSIC THAT WE'VE LIVED WITH SINCE WE WERE, YOU KNOW, KIDS.

WE WERE GOING TO BE LISTENING TO "NUTCRACKER" MUSIC FROM JULY TO DECEMBER, WHEREAS USUALLY IT'S FROM JUST NOVEMBER TO DECEMBER. THERE'S A CLAY MODEL OF THE STATUE ON THE TABLE, AND MOTHER IS COVERED IN CLAY. I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THAT, ACTUALLY.

COMPANY LAUGHS

ASSUCENA

WHEN I HEARD CHRIS WAS GOING TO BE THE CHOREOGRAPHER, I COULDN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT HE WAS GOING TO DO. IT WAS ALWAYS A DREAM OF MINE TO GET TO BE IN A STUDIO AND CREATE SOMETHING WITH HIM.

WHEATER

CHRIS SAID EARLY ON THAT THE "NUTCRACKER" SHOULD TOUCH EVERY BOY, EVERY GIRL, EVERY MAN, EVERY WOMAN. AND THAT FAMILY CAN GO TO THE "NUTCRACKER," AND THEY CAN SHARE IN THAT VALUE OF WHAT IT IS TO BE A FAMILY. WE WEREN'T SURE IF CHRIS WANTED CHILDREN IN THE PRODUCTION TO START WITH. HOW MANY CHILDREN ARE THERE IN THE CURRENT "NUTCRACKER"?

THERE ARE ABOUT 60. 60 IN ONE CAST? YES.

OVERLAPPING CONVERSATIONS, LAUGHTER

WHEATER

WHEELDON,

VOICE-OVER

YOU CAN'T DO THE "NUTCRACKER" WITHOUT KIDS, AND LOTS OF KIDS. AS THE CONCEPT GROWS, WE'LL HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF HOW MANY KIDS WE'LL HAVE...

LOPEZ

IT WAS ROUGHLY 40 TO 50 KIDS IN EACH PRODUCTION. MOST KIDS IN THE "NUTCRACKER" JUST HAVE TO BE REALLY CUTE.

WHEELDON

1... WHEELDON,

VOICE-OVER

I WAS GOING TO BE PUSHING THEM. THE DEMANDS ON THEM WOULD BE MORE AS ACTORS THAN AS DANCERS.

LOPEZ

THE WONDERFUL THING ABOUT USING CHILDREN IS THAT THEY CAN KIND OF GO AND GO AND GO AND GO AND THEY DON'T REALIZE THEY'RE TIRED.

WHEELDON

THEN ONE DAY I WAS LIKE, "OK, I'M GOING "TO GIVE EACH OF YOU A LITTLE CHARACTER TRAIT OR A TIC, "SO YOU, YOU'RE GOING TO BE THE ONE WHO'S TERRIFIED THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET CAUGHT." "YOU'RE WEARING YOUR BROTHER'S HAND-ME-DOWN CLOTHES, "AND THEY'RE ALL REALLY UNCOMFORTABLE AND REALLY TIGHT, SO YOU'RE CONSTANTLY FIDGETING." READY? HERE WE GO.

GUTIERREZ

IT WAS LIKE, "HERE WE GO." LIKE "THIS IS OUR NEW 'NUTCRACKER.' WE HAVE TO MAKE IT OURS."

NARRATOR

AT JOFFREY'S GERALD ARPINO STUDIO, WHEELDON WENT TO WORK CREATING THE NEW CHOREOGRAPHY.

ARAI

WE START FROM NOTHING, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING-- JUST CHRIS' MIND, CHRIS' IDEA.

LOPEZ

WE STARTED IN AUGUST.

ARAI

WITH THE SNOW SCENE. IT WASN'T EVEN SNOWING! IT WAS LIKE, SO HUMID AND HOT OUTSIDE. PEOPLE ARE WEARING SWIMMING SHORTS, AND WE ARE LISTENING TO SNOWFLAKES MUSIC.

ASSUCENA

WE WENT FULL BLAST.

LOPEZ

IT MOVED REALLY QUICKLY. THERE WAS A LOT TO DO IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME.

GUTIERREZ

CHRIS KNOWS US WELL.

DALY

HE KNOWS WHAT WE'RE CAPABLE OF DOING AND HOW FAR HE COULD PUSH US.

ASSUCENA

HE WANTS TO INNOVATE AND CREATE UNEXPECTED MOMENTS. SO THOSE BABIES ARE CIRCLING LIKE... LOPEZ,

VOICE-OVER

CHRISTOPHER WHEELDON IS ONE OF THE MOST INSPIRING, CHALLENGING, SOMETIMES FRUSTRATING, ENTHUSIASTIC, WONDERFUL PEOPLE TO WORK WITH. OH, I'M ALL OVER THE PLACE. I'M OPERATING THE PUPPETS. I'M ACTING ALL OF THE ROLES.

I STILL SHOW THE MOVEMENT. PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS STRUCK BY THE NUMBER OF TIMES WE REPEAT THINGS UNTIL WE GET IT RIGHT. UM, GUYS, WHERE ARE WE? 1, 2, AND A-3.

THAT'S IT. NO, NO, NO. 2 AND A-- 4 AND A-- HIS ARM WILL BE ON... GUTIERREZ, THINGS DIDN'T WORK OVER AND OVER AND OVER.

LIKE, IT DIDN'T WORK, IT DIDN'T WORK, IT DIDN'T WORK.

WHEELDON

A 2, A 3, A 4 AND A-- 4 AND A--YEAH, THAT'S IT. GUTIERREZ,

VOICE-OVER

THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE. THERE'S A LOT OF NOISE. IT'S REALLY HARD IN THOSE MOMENTS TO BE PATIENT. EVERYBODY'S LIKE, "MAN, CHRIS IS, LIKE, FOCUSED, MAN." NOTHING WAS REALLY DETERRING HIM AT ALL.

MENDOZA

CHRIS IS SOMETHING SPECIAL.

GUTIERREZ

HE CAN SEE SOMETHING BEFORE IT'S THERE. KIND OF LIKE DANIEL BURNHAM, RIGHT? WHEN YOU'RE WITH HIM IN THE STUDIO, IT'S LIKE YOUR DAY IS SO FULFILLING. IT WAS LIKE WATCHING THIS AMAZING MASTER OF CRAFT JUST DELIVER INCREDIBLE DETAIL OUT OF HIS HEAD.

NARRATOR

THE PHYSICAL CHALLENGE OF DANCING THE BALLET NIGHT AFTER NIGHT MEANS THAT 5 DIFFERENT CASTS REHEARSE AT THE SAME TIME.

SELZNICK

WATCHING HOW HE GUIDED EVERYBODY INTO THEIR CHARACTERS, HELPING EVERYONE UNDERSTAND THE WORLD THAT THEY WERE GOING TO BE INHABITING WAS REALLY THRILLING.

INSTRUCTORS

...5, 6, 7...

WHEELDON

HOLD UP.

SELZNICK

I HAD NEVER BEEN IN A REHEARSAL ROOM WITH BALLET DANCERS BEFORE.

ASSUCENA

WHEN I PLAY MARIE, I UNDERSTAND THAT SHE'S FEISTY, SHE'S EXCITED ABOUT CHRISTMAS. THE FIRST SCENE, SHE BUMPED INTO A FAMILY. IT'S A RICH FAMILY, AND SHE APOLOGIZES, AND SHE LOOKS BACK, AND SHE SEES THE DAD BEING SO CARING WITH THE DAUGHTER, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT SHE LONGS FOR THAT.

NARRATOR

THE MOTHER, WHO IS SCULPTING A MODEL OF THE FAIR'S GOLDEN STATUE OF THE REPUBLIC, BECOMES THE STATUE IN THE SECOND ACT.

MENDOZA

I WAS REALLY EXCITED WHEN I WAS CAST AS THE GOLDEN STATUE.

DALY

I LOVE PORTRAYING THE MOTHER. I FEEL LIKE SHE'S SUCH A STRONG WOMAN. YOU KNOW, SHE'S A SINGLE MOM RAISING THESE TWO CHILDREN, BUT SHE'S INCREDIBLY TALENTED.

GUTIERREZ

I DANCE THE GREAT IMPRESARIO.

LOPEZ

THE IMPRESARIO JOINS THIS HUMBLE, LITTLE COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS PARTY.

GUTIERREZ

YOU'RE BASICALLY THE DROSSELMEYER CHARACTER. YOU COME INTO THE CHRISTMAS PARTY, AND YOU BRING THE GIFTS.

LOPEZ

HE'S INSTANTLY DRAWN TO MARIE'S MOTHER.

DALY

YOU KNOW, HE'S THE ARCHITECT OF THE FAIR, AND THEY KIND OF HAVE THIS LITTLE UNSPOKEN RELATIONSHIP THERE. THERE'S A CONNECTION. HE FALLS IN LOVE. I GOT TO DANCE IT WITH MY GIRLFRIEND JERALDINE, WHICH WAS, YOU KNOW, THE BEST.

LOPEZ

MARIE NOTICES THIS AND HAS THIS WONDERFUL HOPE OF HAVING THIS PERFECT FAMILY ONE DAY.

SELZNICK

MARIE GETS THIS BEAUTIFUL NUTCRACKER.

WHEATER

IF YOU HAVE NO TOYS AND YOU GET A LOVELY WOODEN DOLL, THAT'S A BIG DEAL.

MENDOZA

AS THE MOTHER, YOU SEE YOUR DAUGHTER AND HOW HER EYES LIGHT UP.

GUTIERREZ

HE'S SAYING, "I DON'T JUST LIKE YOU. I LIKE YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY." THAT'S EXTREMELY ROMANTIC. THERE ARE LITTLE MOMENTS THAT CHRIS CHOREOGRAPHED WHERE YOU SEE THAT INFATUATION WITH EACH OTHER. IT'S A MUTUAL BUILDING OF LOVE.

WEISS

THEY ARE ACTORS, AND THEY REALLY DO THINK ABOUT THEIR CHARACTERS THE WAY AN ACTOR WOULD DO IT. AND THAT'S CRUCIAL IN THIS PIECE. HERE WAS A CHANCE FOR DANCERS WHO ARE EXCELLENT ACTORS TO ACTUALLY WORK ON SOMETHING THAT TOOK SOME NARRATIVE RISK.

NARRATOR

WHEELDON RADICALLY REIMAGINED THE PARTY SCENE IN ACT ONE AS A GATHERING OF EASTERN EUROPEAN IMMIGRANT WORKERS.

DALY

WE REFER TO IT QUITE A BIT AS THE SHACK SCENE. ALL OF THE WORKERS COME TOGETHER FROM THE FAIR AND DO A POTLUCK CELEBRATION.

LOPEZ

THEY DON'T CARE THAT THEY HAVE NOTHING.

WHEELDON

THE FEAST THAT THEY SHARE THAT DAY IS THE LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER AS A COMMUNITY.

SELZNICK

WE WERE ABLE TO LOOK INTO TRADITIONS THAT THE POLISH WORKERS MIGHT HAVE HAD AT THE TIME, AND THINGS WERE INCORPORATED INTO THINGS THAT THE GUESTS AT THE PARTY DO.

WHEELDON

IN A POLISH CHRISTMAS, THE FOOD ISN'T SERVED UNTIL THE FIRST STAR IS OUT. ALL THE WORKERS AND THE CHILDREN RUSH TO THE WINDOW, POINTING OUT THE FIRST STAR OF THE NIGHT. AND THEN THE PARTY BEGINS. EVEN THE FOOD THAT'S SERVED IN THE PARTY SCENE IS ALL BASED ON TRADITIONAL POLISH CHRISTMAS FOOD.

WE HAD REAL FOOD ON STAGE. LOTS OF POLISH FOOD. WE HAD PIEROGIES, I BELIEVE.

SELZNICK

THERE'S A MOMENT WHERE EVERYBODY COMES TOGETHER TO DANCE THIS INTRICATE CIRCULAR DANCE.

LOPEZ

AND YOU GET THE FEELING THAT THIS IS SORT OF A FOLK DANCE OF THIS IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY.

WHEELDON

I WANTED IT TO FEEL LIKE THESE WERE PEOPLE WHO CAME FROM A TRADITION OF DANCING DURING HOLIDAYS, GROWING UP WITH DANCE IN THEIR BLOOD.

SELZNICK

IT'S A COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER AND CELEBRATING.

WHEELDON

IN THE FACE OF GREAT POVERTY AND HUGE AMOUNTS OF WORK... THEY HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF WARMTH AND LOVE IN THIS LITTLE, TINY HUT.

DALY

WE ACTUALLY HAVE 3 MUSICIANS WHO COME ON STAGE.

SPECK

A TRIO OF IMMIGRANT MUSICIANS PLAYING FOLKSY MUSIC. MEMBERS OF THE CHICAGO PHILHARMONIC IN COSTUME. CHRIS WHEELDON MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT THE OPULENT, ALMOST POMPOUS MUSIC OF THE ORIGINAL PARTY SCENE MIGHT NOT WORK FOR THIS CONCEPTION.

MENDOZA

THEY WERE ABSOLUTELY STUNNING AND INCREDIBLE TO DANCE WITH.

WHEATER

IT PULLED THE AUDIENCE INTO THAT PARTY SCENE. HAVING THE TRIO PULLS YOUR EARS AND YOUR EYES INTO THE CENTER OF THE STAGE. HE'S A VERY MUSICAL CHOREOGRAPHER. MUSIC IS IN HIS MIND ALL THE TIME.

I LOVE MUSIC. I CAN'T ACTUALLY SIT AND LISTEN TO MUSIC WITHOUT IMAGINING SOME KIND OF DANCE TO IT. I IMAGINE THAT IT'S HARD TO CHOREOGRAPH TO SOMETHING YOU KNOW SO WELL. ACTUALLY, I THOUGHT, "OH, THIS IS GOING TO BE A BREEZE.

"I KNOW THIS SCORE FROM BEGINNING TO END. I'M NOT GOING TO HAVE TO PREPARE AT ALL." EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT MUSIC. WE HEAR IT ALL THE TIME. AND EVERY TIME I'D GET TO--OR BE TRYING TO FIND A FRESH RESPONSE, A NEW RESPONSE TO THE MUSIC, I REALIZED THAT IT WAS A STRUGGLE.

MAN

WELL, AS HE'D OFTEN DONE BEFORE...

NARRATOR

THE "NUTCRACKER'S" PRODUCTION DESIGNER, JULIAN CROUCH, CAME TO FAME WITH AN IDIOSYNCRATIC SHOW, "SHOCKHEADED PETER."

JULIAN CROUCH

WE THREW IT ON STAGE IN TWO OR 3 DAYS, BUT SOMEHOW THIS SORT OF EXTRAORDINARY SHOW CAME OUT OF IT. IT WENT ROUND THE WORLD.

SHOCKHEADED PETER

BULLY, BULLY BOY...

CROUCH

NONE OF US GOT RICH OFF IT.

NARRATOR

CROUCH INVITED HIS FRIEND, PUPPETEER BASIL TWIST, TO JOIN THE TEAM. TWIST'S CREDITS INCLUDE EVERYTHING FROM HARRY POTTER FILMS TO AN UNDERWATER ABSTRACT PUPPET SHOW SET TO THE MUSIC OF HECTOR BERLIOZ'S "SYMPHONIE FANTASTIQUE."

SELZNICK

20 YEARS AGO, I WAS IN THE ORIGINAL CAST.

BASIL TWIST

HE WAS THE YELLOW PART. HEH! I DON'T WANT TO BRAG, BUT I WAS A REALLY, REALLY GOOD YELLOW SHAPE.

GRIFF WILLIAMS

AND HERE'S THE GREATEST ENTERTAINER OF THEM ALL...

NARRATOR

TWIST'S GRANDFATHER HAD A TV SHOW IN CHICAGO FEATURING MARIONETTES OF BIG BAND LEADERS.

TWIST

HIS NAME WAS GRIFF WILLIAMS. MY GRANDMOTHER GAVE ME THOSE PUPPETS WHEN I WAS A KID. SO IT'S SORT OF 3 POINTS. THERE'S THE RAT, THERE'S A PIVOT, WHICH IS YOUR ARM...

TWIST,

VOICE-OVER

I BRING THINGS TO LIFE. I ANIMATE THE INANIMATE. THAT'S MY JOB.

NARRATOR

AS WHEELDON STRUGGLED WITH THE CHOREOGRAPHY, HIS DESIGN TEAM HAD JUST AS BIG A CHALLENGE REALIZING THE AMBITIOUS PLANS FOR SETS AND COSTUMES.

WHEELDON

AND I CAN SEE YOU, TOO. HI, JULIAN. HI, NATASHA. CROUCH,

VOICE-OVER

HE'S A BIT LIKE PUCK IN "MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM." HE SORT OF APPEARS. YOU HAVE A QUICK CONVERSATION, THEN HE'S GONE. HA HA! BUT WHEN HE'S THERE, HIS FOCUS IS EXTRAORDINARY.

I MEAN REALLY EXTRAORDINARY.

WHEELDON

VERY SUBTLY, AND THIS WILL BE USING PROJECTION, THE IMAGE OF THE FAIR MOVES. PERHAPS JUST A LITTLE BIT OF FLAGS FLAPPING IN THE BREEZE, MAYBE A LITTLE BIRD GOING ACROSS THE LAKE.

WOMAN

WE'RE ALL SORT OF STRIVING TO REACH CHRIS' VISION. SO THEY STARTED THE SEQUENCE TOGETHER LIKE THIS, WITH THE POSTER HANGING BETWEEN THEM.

WHEELDON

THERE'S ROOM TO LEAD INTO...

NATASHA KATZ

I WOULD GO ANYWHERE WITH CHRISTOPHER WHEELDON. HE MAKES ME BETTER THAN I AM AS AN ARTIST. HE IS-- HAS A UNIQUE ABILITY TO EXTRACT THE BEST WORK OUT OF HIS COLLABORATORS.

WHEELDON

MAYBE GET A COUPLE OF CONSTRUCTION WORKERS...

CROUCH

CHRIS WILL ALWAYS ASK FOR MORE THAN HE CAN POSSIBLY GET. THERE WAS A REAL FERRIS WHEEL AT ONE POINT, BUT THAT GOT CUT.

WHEELDON

NATASHA, YOU MIGHT WANT TO WEIGH IN ON THAT.

KATZ

I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO DO A TEST BECAUSE THE MINUTE I TURN THE LIGHT ONTO THE BACKDROP... KATZ,

VOICE-OVER

CHRIS TALKS ALL THE TIME ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A YOUNG KID'S FIRST EXPERIENCE, VERY OFTEN, IN GOING TO THE THEATER OR TO THE BALLET.

CROUCH

FIRST PIECE OF LIVE, CERTAINLY BIG-SCALE LIVE THEATER. IF YOU DON'T IMPRESS THEM TONIGHT, THEY MAY NEVER COME BACK WHEN THEY'RE ADULTS. SO THIS IS A REFERENCE, A SCULPTURAL REFERENCE-- THIS BOAT--FROM THE REAL FAIR. THIS IS A KIND OF DREAM VERSION OF WHAT THE FAIR MIGHT BE.

MAN

IN THE FINALE, THIS SCRIM IS LIT FULL FRONT, SO YOU SEE THIS IMAGE, BUT THEN THE LIGHTS THAT ARE ON THAT GLOW THROUGH TO ILLUMINATE...

NARRATOR

CROUCH'S DESIGN IDEAS FOR THE NEW "NUTCRACKER" WERE INSPIRED BY CARTOONIST WINSOR McCAY. HIS DRAWINGS ARE FROM THE EARLY 1900s.

CROUCH

YOU LOOK AT WINSOR McCAY'S DRAWINGS, AND YOU'VE SEEN THESE FANTASTICAL BUILDINGS THAT ARE SORT OF LIKE CLASSICAL AND SORT OF THEATRICAL. AND, OF COURSE, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE WORLD'S FAIR WAS-- FANTASY CITIES AND UTOPIAS. THEY WERE DREAMING...BIG. IT WAS NEVER REAL.

IN A WAY, THIS IS ACTUALLY JUST LIKE A WINSOR McCAY THING. YOU KNOW, WOKE UP AND IT WAS ALL A DREAM. HA HA!

NARRATOR

THE DESIGN TEAM WORKED OUT A PLAN TO GROW A TREE THE LIKES OF WHICH HAD NOT BEEN SEEN BEFORE.

WHEELDON

IF YOU'RE DOING THE "NUTCRACKER," THE TREE HAS TO GROW. NO TWO WAYS ABOUT IT. THE LITTLE TREE SHAKES AND VIBRATES AND BEGINS TO GROW. WITH A PUFF OF SMOKE, IT GROWS TO ENORMOUS PROPORTIONS.

SO DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT HOW THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN?

TWIST

IT'S LIKE A MULTISTAGE THING, HOW IT GROWS.

CROUCH

SO IT STARTS WITH SEEING THE SHADOW OF THE TREE. IT STARTS TO GROW WITHIN SHADOW.

TWIST

IT'S A PUPPETEERED PIECE, AND THE, SORT OF, SHADOW SCREEN GETS PULLED DOWN, AND THEN THE SCENERY OPENS.

CROUCH

IF YOU SEE MY ARMS, IT MAKES--YOU START TO SEE A TRIANGLE. THAT BECOMES A TOP OF A TREE. SO AS THE TREE GREW, GREW, GREW, GREW, GREW, A VIDEO PROJECTION CAN STAY EXACTLY WITH THE TREE AS IT GROWS LIKE THAT.

PEARCY

WE THEN OVERLAY ONTO THAT AND TRY AS BEST WE CAN TO SORT OF CREATE A SEAMLESS TRANSITION BETWEEN HIS WORLD AND OUR ANIMATED WORLD. WE STARTED WITH FILMING BASIL'S PUPPETED TREE AND THEN ANIMATED THAT THING WE FILMED.

KATZ

AND MY JOB IS TO NOT MESS IT UP.

TWIST

I KNEW THAT BRIAN HAD PUT IN THINGS THAT WERE, LIKE, BASILISMS, THAT HE-- YOU KNOW, "BASIL WILL DO THIS." SO I IMAGINED THE IMPRESARIO BRINGING IN A MODEL OF THE FAIR THAT EVERYONE IS WORKING TOGETHER TO BUILD. WHEN HE WROTE THAT I SAID, "OK, I GET IT. I SEE WHAT YOU WANT." WE'RE GOING TO MAKE A LITTLE SHADOW... OF THE WORLD'S FAIR.

OF THE WORLD'S FAIR USING A LITTLE WHEEL. AND THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT BASIL TWIST IS GOING TO WORK ON. THE CHILDREN PUT ALL THESE OBJECTS ON A TABLE.

CROUCH

KITCHEN UTENSILS OR SOMETHING.

TWIST

AND THEY PULL A CURTAIN ACROSS, AND IT MAKES A SHADOW OF THE FAIR. AND IT WAS A VERY DIFFICULT THING TO ACCOMPLISH, ACTUALLY. TO MAKE IT LOOK SIMPLE AND, "OH, WE JUST DID THIS AT A PARTY, AND IT'S PERFECT," AND CHILDREN ARE DOING IT, AND IT READS CLEARLY AND EVERYONE GETS WHAT IT IS, BUT I THINK IT'S KEY TO THAT SENSE OF CHILD PLAY AND THAT SENSE OF-- THIS SORT OF THE MINIATURE BEFORE WE GO INTO THIS WORLD.

WHEELDON

YOU KNOW, BASIL WAS ASKING THEM TO REALLY SUSPEND DISBELIEF. HE BUILT A BOAT OUT OF THE TABLES NEXT DOOR.

LOPEZ

AND WE HAD BIG BILLOWING SHEETS HANGING OFF OF A MAKESHIFT BOAT.

WHEELDON

YOU KNOW, I KEPT SAYING TO THE COMPANY, "COMPANY, OBVIOUSLY THE BOAT ISN'T GOING TO BE MADE "OUT OF TABLES AND CARDBOARD. THIS IS GOING TO BE A REAL BOAT."

NARRATOR

IN TWIST'S HANDS, THE TRADITIONAL "NUTCRACKER" MICE BECAME CITY DWELLING RATS.

MOTOR RUNNING

LOPEZ

BASIL STARTED BRINGING US LITTLE STYROFOAM MICE ON STICKS. I DON'T THINK WE EVER PINPOINTED WHETHER THEY WERE MICE OR RATS. WE KEPT IT FLUID.

GUTIERREZ

THESE THINGS THAT LOOK LIKE NOTHING ALL OF A SUDDEN ARE MOVING MICE AND RATS ALL OVER.

DALY

THEY WERE SCARY. I WAS SCARED. HA HA!

TWIST

I TRY AND MAKE EVERYTHING FOR THE DANCERS AS INTUITIVE AS POSSIBLE FOR THEM, THAT IT DOESN'T TAKE AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF TECHNIQUE.

DALY

IT'S A LOT OF PRESSURE HANDLING THE PUPPETS. YOU DON'T WANT TO BE RESPONSIBLE IF ANYTHING GOES WRONG. HA HA!

TWIST

I THINK IT'S BETTER IF IT'S ONE OF THESE MICE THAT'S LIKE "HEY, WHAT'S UP"... TWIST,

VOICE-OVER

IT'S PART OF MY JOB TO MAKE SURE THEY START TO LOVE THEIR LITTLE PUPPET INSTEAD OF IT BEING A WEIRD TORTURE DEVICE.

NARRATOR

TWIST WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE DANCER WHO PLAYS THE RAT CATCHER... AND LATER THE RAT KING.

TWIST

THERE WERE ALSO MAGNETS ON THE COSTUME SO THAT THE RAT COULD ACTUALLY STICK ON HIS HAT OR ON HIS SHOULDER.

KATZ

AS THE LIGHTING DESIGNER, I HAD TO FIND A WAY TO LIGHT THE RATS WITHOUT SEEING THE PUPPETEERS. IT'S A SLEIGHT OF HAND, REALLY. I MEAN, YOU MIGHT CALL A LIGHTING DESIGNER IN A WAY A MAGICIAN, BECAUSE WE DO SLEIGHT OF HAND ALL THE TIME. LIGHTING CAN HIDE A LOT OF THINGS.

WE WANTED TO HAVE RATS SCAMPERING ON THE ROOF, BUT IT'S MORE COMPLICATED. SO WE DID IT WITH PROJECTIONS.

PEARCY

WE JUST TOOK SOME FOOTAGE OF BASIL PUPPETING RATS.

TWIST

THEY JUST MULTIPLIED THEM, PUT IT ALL OVER THE PLACE.

NARRATOR

THE COSTUMES PRESENTED DESIGN CHALLENGES, TOO.

ARAI

I DID THE NUTCRACKER PRINCE. HE BATTLES WITH THE MOUSE KING, AND THEY PLACED THAT HAT ON MY HEAD.

CROUCH

THERE'S NO WAY ANY OF THOSE NUTCRACKER HEADS ARE NOT GOING TO BE CHALLENGING.

ARAI

IT DELAYS THE MOVEMENTS. IT'S LIKE THIS WAY AND GOES THIS WAY, THIS WAY.

CROUCH

I SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN THEM, AND I ALWAYS MAKE CHRIS COME VISIT, AND HE GOES INTO THE STUFF, AND HE TRIES IT ON.

ARAI

YOU CAN'T REALLY SEE EITHER. IF YOU KEEP ON CUTTING AWAY VISIBILITY STUFF, THEN IT STOPS HAVING ANY IMPACT. AND, ALSO, FILMS ARE MADE OF ALL THESE THINGS AND THE CAMERA IS RIGHT IN THERE CLOSE, AND, ACTUALLY, FOR DESIGNERS THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER ISSUE.

NARRATOR

THE "NUTCRACKER'S" SECOND ACT IS TRADITIONALLY A PARADE OF DANCE SEQUENCES WITHOUT A STRONG STORY.

WHEELDON

OUR AIM IS TO KEEP THE STORY GOING ALL THE WAY THROUGH TO THE END, SO IT'S ONE BIG JOURNEY. MARIE GOES ON A JOURNEY.

WHEATER

TO SEE THAT SNOW SCENE--THE DESIGN OF IT... AND HOW IT SWIRLS... INTO DIFFERENT DYNAMICS OF A SNOW SCENE-- GENTLE SNOW, A BLIZZARD. ALL OF US WERE LIKE, "WOW!

YEAH, OK, OK."

COMPANY

AH AH AH AH...

SPECK

AND I REMEMBER TEXTING, TEXTING TO MY FRIEND, "OH, MY GOD! THIS IS GOING TO BE INCREDIBLE!"

COMPANY

AH AH AH, AH AH AH AH AH...

TWIST

WHEN WE OPEN THE SECOND ACT WITH THE BOAT AND THE SILKS, IT WANTS TO BE RAVISHING, IT WANTS TO BE GORGEOUS.

SPECK

THESE INCREDIBLE PROJECTIONS, INCLUDING SOME FOG AND CLOUDS, THAT GIVE WAY TO THE ACTUAL WORLD FAIR.

ASSUCENA

AND THEN SHE DREAMS ABOUT THE WORLD'S FAIR.

MENDOZA

MARIE DREAMS THAT HER MOTHER BECOMES THE GOLDEN STATUE. THE IMPRESARIO IS WITH HER IN HER DREAMS.

DALY

AND IT'S JUST BEAUTIFUL HOW ALL OF THE CHARACTERS STAY COMPLETELY LINKED. IT'S A VERY BEAUTIFUL EVOCATION OF WHAT'S GOING ON INSIDE OF HER HEART.

NARRATOR

THE WORLD'S FAIR SETTING MEANT THAT IN ACT TWO, MARIE COULD JOURNEY TO THE MIDWAY'S INTERNATIONAL PAVILIONS.

SELZNICK

SUDDENLY WE HAVE ACTUAL JUSTIFICATION FOR ALL OF THOSE DANCES IN THE SECOND ACT.

WHEELDON

I JUST SORT OF HAD FUN FINDING A WAY TO EVOKE THE WORLD'S FAIR AS A SERIES OF SHOWS, OF PAVILIONS, OF ENTERTAINMENT.

"ARABIAN DANCE" PLAYING

WHEELDON

THERE IS A SEXINESS TO THE ARABIAN MUSIC. AND THE FACT THAT I ACTUALLY MADE A DANCE THAT KIND OF BRINGS DOWN THE HOUSE EVERY NIGHT TO THE ARABIAN MUSIC MAKES ME VERY HAPPY.

KATZ

HIS WORLD OF THEATER AND BALLET, THERE SHOULD BE A NEW WORD FOR IT.

SMITH

IN THE SECOND ACT, THERE'S A LITTLE KID'S DANCE THAT I THINK IS PRETTY TOP-NOTCH. HA HA!

LOPEZ

I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME I HEARD ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF DANCING WALNUTS. I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, "OK, I THINK WE'VE GONE TOO FAR BEFORE WE'VE EVEN STARTED." IT'S BASICALLY A WALNUT WITH LEGS-- TWO LITTLE LEGS STICKING OUT FROM UNDERNEATH IT.

SMITH

I LAUGHED EVERY TIME I SAW IT.

LOPEZ

THERE ARE ALSO CHILDREN THAT ARE NUTCRACKERS, AND THE NUTCRACKERS ARE COMING TO ATTACK THE WALNUTS.

WHEELDON

WE JUST FELT LIKE YOU CAN'T HAVE A "NUTCRACKER" WITHOUT HAVING SOME CHILDREN DRESSED AS DANCING WALNUTS. WELL, YOU KNOW, SO FUN. WHY NOT?

GUTIERREZ

BUFFALO BILL WAS CREATED ON ME.

WHEATER

BUFFALO BILL. HA HA! I THINK BUFFALO BILL WAS BOLD.

NARRATOR

BUFFALO BILL CODY SET UP HIS WILD WEST SHOW RIGHT OUTSIDE THE GATES OF THE FAIR.

GUTIERREZ

IT'S LIKE ONE OF THE THINGS IN THE SECOND ACT THAT'S NOT IN ANY OTHER SECOND ACT ANYWHERE ELSE.

WHEATER

THE RHYTHM IN THE "RUSSIAN DANCE" IS SO CORRECT FOR THE RHYTHM OF BUFFALO BILL. WELL, I MEAN, THINK ABOUT IT. IT'S A HOEDOWN. IT'S A RUSSIAN HOEDOWN.

SO IT MAKES PERFECT SENSE TO PLAY IT FOR COWBOY MUSIC, RIGHT?

WHEELDON

IT REMINDS ME OF...

HUMS "BONANZA" THEME

WHEELDON

IT'S LIKE THIS-- THERE'S A LITTLE-- THERE'S A LITTLE--I THINK A LITTLE BIT OF LIKE "BONANZA," LIKE, HA HA!

GUTIERREZ

AND IT'S HILARIOUS. YOU DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO WORK, AND THEN YOU GO AND YOU START, AND YOU'RE LIKE, "OH, MY GOD. THIS IS CRAZY." LIKE, IT TOTALLY WORKS. IT TOTALLY WORKS.

NARRATOR

IN BALLET, A COUPLE DANCING IS CALLED A PAS DE DEUX. AND IN THE "NUTCRACKER," THERE IS A GRAND PAS DE DEUX. IT'S A CHANCE FOR THE COMPANY'S BEST DANCERS TO WOW THE AUDIENCE.

GUTIERREZ

CHRIS' BEST WORK, I THINK, IS DONE WHEN HE'S CHOREOGRAPHING PAS DE DEUX. HIS PAS DE DEUX ARE REALLY SOMETHING ELSE.

SPECK

THE GRAND PAS DE DEUX IS SO DIFFERENT FROM ANY OTHER GRAND PAS DE DEUX BECAUSE THE IMPRESARIO FALLS IN LOVE WITH MARIE'S MOM. AND THAT'S UNHEARD OF, RIGHT, IN ANY OTHER "NUTCRACKER." AND CHRIS TOLD ME THAT HE ALWAYS FELT THAT THE MAIN THEME OF THE GRAND PAS DE DEUX IS MORE PASSIONATE THAN MOST OF THE OTHER THEMES IN THE WHOLE BALLET. IT'S A LOVE THEME.

WHEELDON

WE NEEDED AN EMOTIONAL CLIMAX. WE NEEDED THAT MUSIC TO PAY OFF IN SOME WAY.

SPECK

NOW YOU'VE GOT FLESH-AND-BLOOD LOVE GOING ON.

DALY

I REMEMBER THE DAY THAT CHRIS CHOREOGRAPHED THE PART DURING THE GRAND PAS DE DEUX WHERE THE QUEEN OF THE FAIR AND THE GREAT IMPRESARIO ARE IN AN EMBRACE.

WHEELDON

I WAS STRUGGLING A LITTLE BIT WITH, OK, HOW AM I GOING TO--HOW CAN I... HOW CAN I BRING MARIE SOMEHOW INTO THE PICTURE? HOW CAN I SHOW THE AUDIENCE THAT THIS IS EVERYTHING THAT SHE'S EVER DREAMED OF?

MENDOZA

AND MARIE ENTERS.

LOPEZ

AND MARIE FINISHES THE EMBRACE BY MOVING HIS ARM.

DALY

AND I REMEMBER IN THE STUDIO WHEN HE DID IT, I HAD GOOSEBUMPS ALL OVER. I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT. GOT CHOKED UP AND TEARY-EYED. I JUST THOUGHT, THIS IS INCREDIBLE.

SO TOUCHING. IT'S COOL TO SEE SOMETHING CREATED AND YOU WERE IN THE ROOM WHEN IT WAS BEING CREATED.

WHEELDON

IT'S MAMMOTH. IT IS LIKE A MUSICAL. IT'S THE SIZE OF A BROADWAY MUSICAL, MAYBE EVEN BIGGER THAN A BROADWAY MUSICAL.

MICHELLE BOONE

HOW ARE YOU?

BRIAN JOHNSON

I'M WELL. GOOD TO SEE YOU...

BRIAN SMITH

IS EVERYBODY READY? YEAH!

SMITH

ALL RIGHT. LET'S DO IT.

APPLAUSE

CAMERON

GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME. TODAY I'M GOING TO TRY AND CHANNEL A LITTLE BIT OF MY INNER DROSSELMEYER AS WE ANNOUNCE AND SHARE THE PLANS OF OUR NEW "NUTCRACKER." CAMERON,

VOICE-OVER

YOU DON'T THINK OF A PRESS CONFERENCE AS FEELING MAGICAL, BUT I THINK WE ALL WERE... YOU KNOW, WE ALL FELT THE ENERGY.

WHEELDON

BUT THROUGH AN EPIC MAGICAL CHRISTMAS JOURNEY...

WHEATER

SO THE "NUTCRACKER" HAS BEEN A PART OF MY LIFE FOR THE LAST 50 YEARS...

SELZNICK

AND MYSELF, AS A STORYTELLER, LEARNING WHERE WE CAN BEND THE STORY...

CAMERON

IT WAS VERY MUCH THAT SPACE OF TEAMWORK.

SELZNICK

...ON TRACK WITH THE ELEMENTS THAT WE ALL LOVE.

CAMERON

THIS CONCLUDES THE FORMAL--

BELL RINGING

CAMERON

OH, MY GOSH! HA HA!

APPLAUSE

CAMERON

TICKETS FOR THE "NUTCRACKER" WENT ON SALE

AT 10

00 THIS MORNING.

NARRATOR

THERE WAS ONE PARTICULAR AUDIENCE MEMBER EVERYONE KNEW WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO GET ON THEIR SIDE, ESPECIALLY IN A TOWN AS POLITICAL AS CHICAGO.

WHEATER

WE HAD A LUNCH WITH THE MAYOR. WITH RAHM EMMANUEL. YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR, OF COURSE HE'S GOT HIS OWN BACKGROUND IN DANCE. I WAS PLAYING SOCCER, A FRESHMAN IN HIGH SCHOOL, AND I WANTED TO IMPROVE MY SOCCER GAME IN THE OFF-SEASON.

AND MY MOTHER SAID, "TAKE DANCE." THEY WERE SHOWING ME DIFFERENT STORYBOARDS OF DIFFERENT CHARACTERS.

WHEELDON

HE WAS VERY, VERY NICE, BUT HE'S MATTER OF FACT.

EMANUEL

I SAID, IS THIS A ONE-YEAR PRODUCTION? "NO, WELL, I THINK THE HOPE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE NEW 'NUTCRACKER.'" AND HE JUST LOOKED AT ME AND IN A VERY SORT OF DRY WAY SAID-- "DON'T MESS IT UP." AND YOU COULD PUT A WORD FOR--REPLACE "MESS." HA HA!

WHEATER

A POLITE WAY TO SAY IT IS, YOU KIND OF GET ONE CHANCE TO DO A NEW "NUTCRACKER." IT'S A POLITICIAN'S VERSION OF WHEN YOU SAY TO DANCERS, "GO BREAK A LEG." IT'S LIKE "GOOD LUCK." I WAS WAITING FOR LIKE A LITTLE, LIKE, A LITTLE WINK OR A LITTLE, LIKE, GLISTEN. I DIDN'T GET--I DIDN'T GET IT. THEY FEEL THE MAYORAL EYES ON THEIR WORK. SO I LEFT THE MAYOR'S OFFICE THINKING, "YEAH.

NO, HE'S RIGHT."

WHEELDON

WE TOLD YOU, RIGHT, THAT WE'RE BUILDING INDIVIDUAL SNOW PACKS INTO EACH COSTUME FOR YOU SO YOU CAN SHOOT SNOW FROM--I'M KIDDING.

LAUGHTER

WHEELDON

HERE WE GO. READY?...9 AND 1...

CAMERON

CHRISTOPHER IS IN THE STUDIO, AND THE PROCESS IS STILL HAPPENING. AND THEN IT'S SEPTEMBER, AND THEN IT'S OCTOBER, AND IT'S NOVEMBER, AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S... IT'S STILL BEING REALIZED.

NARRATOR

WITH WHEELDON HARD AT WORK, THE COMPANY MOVED TO IOWA CITY FOR PREVIEW PERFORMANCES.

SPECK

IOWA WAS GREAT! WE'VE HAD A RELATIONSHIP WITH IOWA CITY, WITH THE HANCHER AUDITORIUM FOR YEARS. THAT'S WHERE JOFFREY ORIGINALLY PREMIERED OUR FIRST "NUTCRACKER." THAT IS A CONCERT HALL THAT WOULD NOT BE OUT OF PLACE IN BERLIN OR VIENNA OR LONDON.

MUSICIANS REHEARSING

SPECK

WE ALMOST TREATED IT AS PREVIEWS TO A BROADWAY SHOW. WE HAD TWO WEEKS TO WORK WITH THE SETS WE HAD NEVER SEEN, TO WORK WITH THE PROPS THAT WE HAD NEVER SEEN. THAT'S UNHEARD OF IN THE BALLET WORLD.

NARRATOR

NEW SETS AND PROPS WERE INTEGRATED DURING COMPLEX TECHNICAL REHEARSALS, CALLED "TECH" FOR SHORT. BUT THAT WAS HARDLY THEIR BIGGEST CHALLENGE. OH, MY GOD! CHRIS FELL INTO THE ORCHESTRA PIT.

WHEELDON

IT WAS DAY ONE. IT WAS THE FIRST DAY OF TECH. AND ME AND NATASHA AND BEN. WE WERE LOOKING AT THE TREE EFFECT, OF THE SHADOW.

I HAD WALKED DOWN TO THE EDGE OF THE ORCHESTRA PIT WITH MY CAMERA. AND I WAS BEHIND THE CURTAIN, AND HE WAS IN FRONT OF THE CURTAIN. AND HE WAS WALKING BACKWARDS, SAYING, "YEAH, I THINK IT'S RIGHT, I THINK IT'S RIGHT..." I JUST STEPPED OFF, LIKE A CARTOON. I PICTURED MYSELF LIKE ROAD RUNNER, YOU KNOW, LIKE...

MAKES WHOOSHING SOUNDS

WHEELDON

STRAIGHT DOWN. AND THEN I HEARD A "AAH!" FALLING LIKE 15 FEET, I THINK IT WAS. IT WAS ABOUT 12 FEET. IT'S DEFINITELY OVER 20 FEET.

WHATEVER. NINE FEET AND ABOVE, IT'S A LONG WAY. AND WE WERE SCREAMING AT HIM, LIKE, "CHRIS, DON'T MOVE, DON'T MOVE." "LIE ON YOUR BACK. DON'T MOVE." AND I'M THINKING, "OH, MY SHOULDERS FEEL FINE.

MY NECK FEELS FINE. I HAVEN'T BROKEN MY BACK." HE ACTUALLY LANDED ON BOTH HIS FEET, BUT HIS RIGHT LEG BUCKLED AND HE BROKE HIS ANKLE. IF I'D DONE IT, I'D HAVE IMPACTED MY WHOLE BODY. I'D HAVE BEEN THIS HIGH AND BROKEN.

OF COURSE, THEY CARTED ME OFF TO THE HOSPITAL. THEY CUT HIS VERY FANCY JEANS.

MENDOZA

TO GET THE CAST ON. HE WAS A LITTLE UPSET ABOUT THAT.

LAUGHS

MENDOZA

THREE HOURS LATER, HE'S BACK IN THERE IN A WHEELCHAIR. AND NATASHA KATZ MADE THE CLASSIC JOKE, "OH, LOOK, CHRISTOPHER WHEELED IN." HA HA!

WHEATER

ONLY CHRIS WHEELDON CAN SAY, "AT LEAST I WASN'T SHOUTING AT THE DANCERS."

LAUGHS

WHEATER

HE HAS TO RUN AROUND, MAKE ALL THESE LIGHT CUES, CHANGE LAST-MINUTE CHOREOGRAPHY, AND HE CAN'T GET THERE.

ARAI

YOU KNOW, BEFORE THE SHOW, WE SAY, "OK, BREAK A LEG, BREAK A LEG." AND I TOLD HIM, "YOU BROKE A LEG ALREADY, SO, I MEAN, IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT SHOW!"

CROUCH

HE MADE IT OUT OF THE WHEELCHAIR, AND THEN IT WAS THE CRUTCHES. IT WAS LIKE, HE'D GO... CLACK, CLACK, CLACK. HE'S LIKE LONG JOHN SILVER COMING DOWN THE CORRIDOR.

MENDOZA

IT HELPED TO HAVE KAHLUA, OUR LITTLE BOSTON TERRIER, BE THERE WITH US BECAUSE IT PUT HIM IN A GOOD MOOD.

WHEELDON

I REMEMBER KAHLUA, LIKE, SITTING THERE OUT FRONT EITHER WITH JERI OR WITH DYLAN. WE WERE, LIKE, WATCHING. YOU KNOW, IT WAS THANKSGIVING TWO DAYS LATER. THE COMPANY CAME UP, AND I HAD ONE OF THE MOST MEMORABLE THANKSGIVINGS EVER AND FELT LIKE WE WERE LIVING THE SPIRIT OF THE "NUTCRACKER."

WHEELDON SAYING COMMANDS INDISTINCTLY

WHEELDON

SORRY ABOUT THAT. SORRY ABOUT THAT. THIS COULD BE A LITTLE BIT FASTER.

PIECE RESUMES

SELZNICK

LIKE ANY FIRST OPENING, IT FEELS LIKE A TRAIN WRECK. IT FEELS LIKE NOTHING'S EVER GOING TO WORK, THAT THERE'S NO WAY THIS IS GOING TO COME TOGETHER.

WHEELDON

THE TREE HAS TO BE ON THIS SIDE.

PIECE RESUMES

WHEELDON

IT WAS A CRUNCH. I DON'T THINK YOU EVER HAVE ENOUGH TIME.

CAMERON

CHRISTOPHER SAID, "GREG, THIS IS WHEN MINUTES MAKE A DIFFERENCE." HE WAS USING EVERY MINUTE. AND I DON'T EVER WANT TO HAVE TO CONDUCT THE FINAL STAGES OF A MAJOR NEW PRODUCTION IN A WHEELCHAIR.

NARRATOR

WITH SOME BUT NOT ALL OF THE KINKS WORKED OUT, THEY HEADED BACK TO CHICAGO FOR OPENING NIGHT. IT WAS A TOUGH JOURNEY TO THE OPENING NIGHT IN CHICAGO. WE'D HAD A VERY BUMPY TECH. THINGS WEREN'T WORKING.

AND WE WERE HAVING TO MAKE SORT OF HIGH-PRESSURED, LAST-MINUTE DECISIONS. PLUS, YOU KNOW, I'M STILL IN A WHEELCHAIR AND ON CRUTCHES.

WHEATER

CHRIS HAD TO GO ON CRUTCHES EVERY SINGLE STEP.

WHEELDON

IT WAS A NERVE-WRACKING-- IT WAS A NERVE-WRACKING NIGHT.

WEISS

WHEN THE "NUTCRACKER" HAD ITS WORLD PREMIERE IN CHICAGO, THERE WAS SNOW OUTSIDE AND THERE WAS SNOW INSIDE.

LOPEZ

EVERYONE CAME TO THE AUDITORIUM THEATER NOT KNOWING WHAT TO EXPECT AT ALL.

WHEELDON

THE EXPECTATION WAS OFF-THE-CHARTS HIGH.

WHEATER

CHRIS AND I HAD OUR FIRST CONVERSATION ABOUT A NEW "NUTCRACKER" FOR THE JOFFREY BALLET ALMOST A DECADE AGO. OOH! HA HA! I WAS EXCITED.

ASSUCENA

WHEN THE ORCHESTRA FIRST STARTS PLAYING, YOU'RE LIKE, "OOH! CAN I DO THIS?"

WHEELDON

I FELT EVERYONE SIT FORWARD, YOU KNOW. THE ENERGY WAS SUDDENLY VERY FORWARD. IT'S LIKE PEOPLE WERE LIKE, "OHH!" JUST, "OH, MY GOD. WOW!

WOW! WOW! WOW!" "WELL, THIS IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT."

WHEATER

THEY FELT EMOTIONALLY ATTACHED FROM THE GET-GO.

SELZNICK

AND THEN LIKE ALMOST EVERY STORY YOU HEAR ABOUT THE THEATER OR THE MOVIES, IT HAPPENS, IT COMES TOGETHER.

SMITH

IT JUST MADE ME FEEL REALLY HAPPY TO SEE EVERYONE LOOKING AROUND IN... IN UTTER AMAZEMENT. PEOPLE'S HEADS WERE JUST TURNSTILING, AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THAT SMILE ON A KID'S FACE.

WHEATER

AND TO SEE THE WHOLE THING COME TOGETHER IN FRONT OF 3,900 PEOPLE WAS A TRIUMPHANT MOMENT.

GUTIERREZ

I COULD SEE IT IN ASHLEY'S FACE AFTER OPENING, LIKE, JUST THE RELIEF. YOU KNOW, IT WAS, HE LOOKED LIKE-- I THINK HE STOOD, LIKE, A COUPLE INCHES TALLER.

JONES

I DON'T THINK I'D EVER SEEN ANYTHING QUITE LIKE THAT BEFORE... THAT GOT INTO THE PSYCHE OF THE CITY. YOU THINK TO YOURSELF, "THIS IS LOCAL. THIS HAPPENED RIGHT HERE."

EMANUEL

I THINK IT'S A GREAT PIECE. THE STAGING WAS INCREDIBLE. I THOUGHT THE LIGHTING WAS INCREDIBLE, THE COSTUMES. AND HERE'S A PIECE--WE'RE IN A TIME IN WHICH THE COUNTRY'S IN A BIG DISCUSSION ABOUT INCOME INEQUALITY.

THIS PIECE WAS A POIGNANT REFLECTION ABOUT THAT DEBATE.

LOUD APPLAUSE

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

WHEATER

TO BRING THE WHOLE THING TO A CRESCENDO AT THE WORLD'S FAIR. WE'VE EXPLODED. WE GO RIGHT BACK TO THIS KIND OF SMALL--WHAT FAMILY LIFE IS.

DALY

I LOVE THAT IN THE END, WE COME BACK TO THE SHACK.

MENDOZA

MARIE WAKES UP.

WHEATER

AND THE IMPRESARIO COMES BACK.

SELZNICK

AND MOTHER INVITES THE IMPRESARIO TO SIT AT THE TABLE AND JOIN THEM FOR BREAKFAST. AND THERE'S THIS MOMENT, LIKE IN MOVIES. THE MOTHER AND IMPRESARIO PAUSE. THEY LOOK AT EACH OTHER.

THERE'S SOMETHING HAPPENING BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM, THIS LITTLE SPARK.

ASSUCENA

MARIE JUST STOPS AND SEES THE WHOLE FAMILY TOGETHER. AND SHE IS SO IMMERSED IN SO MUCH LOVE.

WHEELDON

MAYBE THIS GREAT IMPRESARIO, HE BECOMES THE FATHER THAT MARIE HAS LOST.

JONES

AND YOU PROBABLY SAY TO YOURSELF, "I DON'T THINK SO." AND THEN YOUR HEAD SORT OF GOES TO, "BUT SHE AT LEAST HAD THAT ONE MOMENT."

KATZ

SO YOU COULD SAY IT KIND OF BRINGS YOU BACK TO FAMILY, IT BRINGS YOU BACK TO COMMUNITY, IT BRINGS YOU BACK TO-- AND SHE'S LIVED A LONG JOURNEY, THIS LITTLE GIRL, TO GET BACK TO "THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME," I GUESS.

APPLAUSE

CHEERING

WHEATER

ONE PARTICULAR WOMAN WHO I DON'T KNOW CAME TO ME IN TEARS, AND SAID, "THIS IS ME. I AM A SINGLE MOTHER. "THIS IS EVERYTHING THAT I AM, AND THIS IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL MOMENT IN MY CHRISTMAS."

ASSUCENA

MY MIND IS BLOWN EVERY TIME I WATCH IT. IT'S AMAZING. THE STORY BEHIND THAT STORY IS VAST; IT'S EPIC. IT'S ACTUALLY ALMOST MORE INTERESTING THAN THE FINAL PRODUCTION.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

NARRATOR

"MAKING A NEW AMERICAN NUTCRACKER" IS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE GENEROSITY OF THE GRAINGER FOUNDATION OF LAKE FOREST, ILLINOIS.

ANNOUNCER

YOU'RE WATCHING PBS.