The Nutcracker Story

The Nutcracker Story

The Nutcracker tells the charming story of a young girl, Clara. The story begins as Clara, her brother Fritz, their parents and the maid prepare for a festive Christmas Party at their house. After the party has begun and the children have opened their gifts, Clara’s Uncle Drosselmeyer pays a surprise visit and brings magical toys: a life-sized dancing puppet doll, ballerina doll, and soldier doll, and three mysterious boxes! He then gives Clara and Fritz their presents. Fritz is unhappy with his gift (a toy rat!) and is very jealous of Clara’s fine Nutcracker doll. With the help of the other boys at the party, Fritz snatches the doll from Clara and breaks it. Uncle Drosselmeyer repairs the doll, and to calm the moment, suggests a lullaby. As the party comes to a close and the guests leave, Clara falls into a deep sleep on the couch, alongside her beloved Nutcracker doll.

Clara awakens to find herself in a battlefield with a life-sized Nutcracker doll, a dazzling Rat King with gleaming eyes, comical oversized mice and rats, and toy soldiers. The battle ends when Clara hits the Rat King over the head and he is conquered by the Nutcracker.

The Nutcracker then escorts Clara on a magical journey to the Land of Snow, where in the midst of a blizzard of dancing Snowflakes, she is welcomed by the Snow Queen and King.

Miniature heralds, a toy Nutcracker and tiny mice help Clara tell the story of the battle, and everyone celebrates. Then Clara settles in to let the dancers entertain her.

Clara’s adventure resumes when she is escorted to the Land of Sweets by Angels. There she awakens the sleeping dancers who will entertain her: saucy Spanish dancers, sinuous Arabian dancers, pert Chinese dancers, fiery Russian dancers, whirling Mirlitons, a host of miniature dancers, and the Queen of the Kingdom, who presents her to the Sugar Plum Fairy and Cavalier.

	Finally, Clara returns home to tell Mother and Father of her adventure, only to awaken and find herself on the couch again.
	*It was only a dream.*
		*Or was it?*

Happy Holidays to Your Family!