The Tulsa Ballet's Nutcracker is an annual tradition. Can you imagine a movie version with no ballet? Not me.
I'm a bit biased when it comes to
The Nutcracker. I spent my childhood performing in the ballet in Bartlesville. So many rehearsals, so much accidentally ingested plastic snow, so many great memories.
I could hum the entire full-length score. Every note.
So when I heard that Adam Shankman, director of
Hairspray and the upcoming
Rock of Ages movie that I blogged about
yesterday, is planning a live-action
Nutcracker film, I was obviously intrigued.
But then the director told
Entertainment Weekly that there would be "no ballet" in his film. What?
Here's what he told EW:
“There are some celebrations in the story and there could be dancing at the celebrations, but other than that, no. It is absolutely not going to be a full-on ballet. No ballet.”
He said he would draw from what inspired the ballet, the original story,
The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by E.T.A. Hoffmann.
Mr. Shankman -- a noted choreographer and former dancer in his own right -- is either a mad genius, or maybe he had a bad experience dancing as a soldier once upon a time?
I'll certainly be following the development of this movie.
In the meantime, I'll be attending the Tulsa Ballet's gorgeous production of
The Nutcracker next week. Just seeing the Mouse King and Nutcracker outside the PAC last Friday as they greeted the audience made me feel giddy.
What's your favorite part of
The Nutcracker? Mine has always been the Snow scene -- it's exhausting to dance, but it's so, so beautiful to watch.
Happy
Nutcracker!
