Clara's Dream debuted at The Music Hall during the 2000 holiday season, and has grown into an eagerly awaited Music Hall favorite, playing to sell-out audiences for several seasons. A celebration of dance, music, and Christmas traditions, Clara's Dream is a completely unique holiday spectacular to be experienced and enjoyed by anyone who likes to celebrate the holidays in grand style.

Roll over Tchaikovsky, the Nutcracker has found a new groove.

Updating the Russian ballet masterpiece with a uniquely American jazz perspective, is Drika Overton, producer and creator of "Clara's Dream: A Jazz Nutcracker".

When Drika first heard the Duke Ellington/Billy Strayhorn jazz version of the Nutcracker, something shifted in her consciousness. She spoke with internationally acclaimed tap artists Brenda Bufalino and Jeannie Hill in New York, and Josh Hilberman in Boston. "Everyone was excited at the idea of a jazz tap Nutcracker," she said. "Partly it was the idea of forming a collaboration among a small group of experienced dancers, but what really engaged everyone was the opportunity to use 20th century jazz and tap dance to update a 19th century classical ballet."

"Clara's Dream: A Jazz Nutcracker" is a series of rich gifts. It's a Christmas party and a family nightclub scene featuring leaping snowflake-children, an African drummer who also dances, Irish dancers, jazz dancers, body-percussionists, lindy hoppers and tap dancers. This show doesn't need mice!

The composer, arranger and music director for the show is Paul Arslanian, co-founder and former musical director of Jazz Tap Ensemble. Completing the creative collaborative are tap classicist Dean Diggins, protege of tap legend Paul Draper, and comedic/eccentric dancer Bob E. Thomas from Boston.

After two years of intensive idea-generation, writing, and rehearsing, "Clara's Dream" became high-voltage reality in December 2000. The cast performed to sold-out houses and standing ovations at the Music Hall in Portsmouth, NH and the Silver Cultural Performing Arts Center in Plymouth, NH.

It's a classic coming-of-age story in which Clara, through the magic of jazz, transcends the traditions of her parents to discover her own place in the world. All of the familiar elements of the Nutcracker remain...with a twist!

Mother (Drika Overton) and Father (Dean Diggins) provide Clara (Katey Yoder) with a well-heeled and classical background. But she drops their doll for her hidden favorite toy, a zoot-suited nutcracker. Auntie Groove [created and danced here by the legendary Brenda Bufalino, pictured at right], with years of wisdom as a bebopper, provides a role model, encouraging Clara to seek her own path. Uncle Dross (Bob Thomas) provides the magic of fun and transformation. The "Jazz Nut" (Josh Hilberman) sets a funky groove.

At the show's heart is Clara with her dilemma: to swing, or not to swing? In her dreams she dances wildly. Finally, tempted by the rhythm to break out, she is held back by her mother and father. Guided by her wily Auntie Groove and her clever Uncle Dross, Clara seeks to find her way.

Duke's Place, the setting for the second act, is a magical jazz club where nothing is ever as it seems. Arslanian's swinging 6 piece band blows hot jazz originals of the cool classical Nutcracker themes, including the Spanish, the Arabian, the Chinese, and a sugar-plum Tango. In the night club, Clara watches and waits, enthusiastically joining the incarnation of her Jazz Nutcracker in a rousing tap dance finale.

"Clara's Dream" features a multi-generational cast, their ages spanning seven decades. Together they represent several hundred years of show-business experience. From mime to magic, tap dance to classical ballet, Tchaikovsky to Ellington, the dancers bring exhilarating new life to this holiday classic.

    
© 2000-2007 Portsmouth Percussive Dance Festival

Page updated 01/21/07