NASHVILLE, Tenn. – November 11, 2024 – Nashville Ballet has announced the youth cast for their beloved holiday classic, Paul Vasterling’s Nashville’s Nutcracker, returning to the Tennessee Performing Arts Center’s Jackson Hall opening Friday, December 6 through Thursday, December 26.  

Audiences are in for a special treat as the exquisite production will not only include Nashville Ballet company dancers, but a large youth cast composed of local children and students from the School of Nashville Ballet.  Local youth include Kambria Ayers, Cora Jane Schrader and Gigi Wingo who will play the role of Clara and Coen Schrader and Carter Lashbrook-Wright who will play the role of Fritz. Over 166 local youth will perform a variety of roles such as party kids, teddy bear cavalry and more (see youth cast below).

Paul Vasterling’s Nashville’s Nutcracker takes audiences on an unforgettable celebration dance, unique storytelling and music, performed by The Nashville Symphony, that embodies all the magic of the holiday. The timeless classic, originally choreographed by Artistic Director Emeritus Paul Vasterling, weaves some of Nashville’s rich history, sites and events throughout the lavish Christmas production. Set against the backdrop of the vibrant city, this performance invites audiences of all ages to revel in the splendor of the Sugar Plum Fairy’s kingdom, the fierceness of the Mouse King and the timeless adventure of Clara and her Nutcracker Prince. Winner of a 2020 Emmy Award-winning film and named the best Dance Production of 2022 by Broadway World Nashville, this is Nashville’s must-see holiday tradition for the entire family.

“It’s such an honor to bring one of Nashville’s most cherished productions to audiences once again this holiday season,” said Nashville Ballet’s Artistic Director and CEO Nick Mullikin. “This beautiful performance will merge our talented company dancers with local youth and students from School of Nashville Ballet to dazzle audiences this Christmas. Being part of the youth cast, for Tennessee’s largest ballet company, is an extraordinary opportunity. It gives these students an unparalleled opportunity to dance on a big stage and see what their careers could look like as part of a professional production. It’s one of our favorite productions of the year and we couldn’t do it without them. It’s truly a magical event for all of us.”

Attendees will experience the joy and wonder of this classic tale reimagined, that captures the heart and spirit of Nashville. Be a holiday hero and get your tickets now as it’s expected to sell out. Single tickets start at just $53. 

For more information on Nashville’s Nutcracker or to purchase tickets, please visit nashvilleballet.com/nashvilles-nutcracker.

YOUTH CAST:

Ranging from ages 7 to 17, this year’s youth cast includes:

Cannon County 

Nicholas Parnell, Party Boy 

Cheatham County

Charlee Harrison, Baby Mouse 

Samuel Lovell, Party Boy 

Phoebe Richardson, Party Girl

Copely Russo, Garden Fairy 

Kinley Shelton, Bon Bon 

Davidson County

Harper Alvarez, Baby Mouse

Sophia Alvarez, Frontier Soldier 

Olivia Armstrong, Baby Mouse 

Irys Atkinson, Commodore Cavalry 

Kambria Ayers, Clara 

Cora Bivin, Garden Fairy

Adalyn Brown, Lamb 

Madeleine Burkitt, Garden Fairy 

Camille Carter, Party Girl

Evelyn Clark, Medium Mouse 

Penelope Coleman, Medium Mouse

Naomi Cooper, Baby Mouse

Adri Cottingham, Bon Bon and Party Girl

Lucy Craddock, Frontier Soldier

Lacey Crenshaw, Commodore Cavalry 

Matilda Crosswy, Lamb 

Bowie Danoff, Party Boy 

Lucinda Donnelly, Baby Mouse 

Lillie Drake, Medium Mouse 

Olivia Dunn, Bon Bon 

Elizabeth Faucette, Garden Fairy 

Zara Fetuga, Garden Fairy 

Jonah Forsythe, Bon Bon

Selah Frohock, Party Girl 

Adeline Gallmann, Commodore Cavalry 

Myers Gibson, Garden Fairy

Adelyn Grant, Party Girl 

Gracie Hambrick, Commodore Cavalry 

Hadley Hancock, Bon Bon 

Kemae Harris, Russian 

Lily Harwell, Party Girl

Winnie Haugen, Russian

Abigail Hayden, Garden Fairy  

Sarai Cadena Herrera, Teddy Bear Cavalry 

Freya Heard, Bon Bon

Sophia Hill, Party Girl 

Mary Walton Jarman, Garden Fairy 

Quinn Johnson, Russian 

Brynne Keller, Garden Fairy 

Luke Kelly, Frontier Soldier

Briar King, Party Girl

Sashenka Kooienga, Bon Bon 

Martha Kryshtal, Baby Mouse  

Nora Kunkee, Bon Bon 

Sam Leventis, Party Boy 

Beatrice Lipscomb, Garden Fairy

Esther Livshitz, Frontier Soldier

Lily Lutz, Medium Mouse 

Campbell Lyman, Lamb 

Eloise MacEachern, Baby Mouse

Olive Mains, Commodore Cavalry 

Emily Maiorino, Lamb

Tatum Mantinan, Commodore Cavalry 

Tenley Mantinan, Commodore Cavalry 

Cora Mashburn, Commodore Cavalry 

Sasha Mayer, Garden Fairy 

Mica Mays, Medium Mouse 

Frances Melancon, Garden Fairy 

Margaret Meyerson, Garden Fairy 

Mae Michels, Commodore Cavalry 

Townes Miller, Party Girl 

Ari Moore, Medium Mouse 

Lili Near, Bon Bon 

Jordan Nixon, Garden Fairy 

Leona Noel, Baby Mouse 

Evelyn Noll, Lamb 

Lillis Nye, Baby Mouse

Tula Nye, Teddy Bear Cavalry

Angel Ochoa, Bon Bon 

Nerea Pardeshi, Lamb

Harper Perry, Medium Mouse 

Lucy Prather, Commodore Cavalry

Lillian Pyatt, Bon Bon 

D’Arcy Ramage, Lamb 

Riley Reed, Lamb 

Marabella Richards, Lamb 

Nora Rieck, Party Girl 

Charlotte Belle Schrader, Baby Mouse

Coen Schrader, Fritz 

Cora Jane Schrader, Clara

Oliver Scrader, Party Boy

Maggie Sechrist, Lamb 

Sophie Sekulow, Baby Mouse 

Anne Shuster, Lamb 

Charlotte Spero, Garden Fairy 

Wilder Jane Smith, Lamb

Isabella Sutton, Medium Mouse 

Lily Targun, Russian 

Hallie Thackston, Teddy Bear Cavalry 

Blake Thibadeau, Garden Fairy 

Rose Thibodeau, Lamb 

Nora Tidwell, Commodore Cavalry 

Penelope Trujillo, Baby Mouse 

Addison Wade, Lamb 

Emma Wade, Party Girl 

Mackenzie Wade, Bon Bon 

Julia Walsh, Medium Mouse 

Leona Watrous, Baby Mouse 

Shakia Webster, Frontier Soldier

Stori Weir, Russian 

Livia Wernke, Russian 

Ella Wescott, Teddy Bear Cavalry 

Morgan Whiteley, Russian

Elizabeth Williams, Russian 

Luciana Williams, Garden Fairy

Dickson County 

Preston Gaines, Bon Bon  

Remi Ross, Lambs

Zoe Wenck, Commodore Cavalry 

Maury County

Greenlee Jenks, Commodore Cavalry   

Montgomery County 

Maddox Harding, Baby Mouse

Arya Horton, Commodore Cavalry 

Bailey Horton, Party Girl 

Prynn Itter, Garden Fairy   

Putnam County 

Mariah Wheeler, Russian   

Robertson County

Norah Beutler, Russian  

Penn Beutler, Party Boy

Lily Miller, Russian

Laine Sharp, Russian 

Rutherford County 

Mia DeFeo, Party Girl

Scarlett Drey, Commodore Cavalry

Samantha Everett, Bon Bon 

Margaux Lieberman, Garden Fairy 

Mikhail Lieberman, Bon Bon 

Olivia Padgett, Baby Mouse 

Raleigh Smith, Baby Mouse 

Reagan Smith, Garden Fairy 

Sumner County

Rylee Braden, Frontier Soldier

Lucy Cramer, Lamb  

Eleanor Hatley, Frontier Soldier 

Madeline Melissa Henry, Garden Fairy 

Madison Herrington, Bon Bon

Harper Judd, Frontier Soldier 

Beatrice McClellan, Commodore Cavalry 

Anastasiya Parkhurst, Medium Mouse 

Isabella Pedro, Russian 

Isabella (Izzy) Platt, Russian 

Penelope Sexton, Lamb

Ava Suttle, Frontier Soldier 

Warren County

Carter Lashbrook-Wright, Fritz   

Williamson County 

Breen Bentzen, Teddy Bear Cavalry

Emerson Rose Duke, Medium Mouse 

Laura Feinberg, Bon Bon

Jenna Gary, Commodore Cavalry

Vida Jackson, Garden Fairy 

Courtney Kurkowski, Bon Bon 

Charlotte Lynn, Lamb 

Rosemary Martin, Baby Mouse

Declan Meeker, Party Girl 

Kinley Meeker, Bon Bon 

Adalyn Patel, Bon Bon 

Emme Shervik, Medium Mouse 

Madison Tate, Teddy Bear Cavalry 

Indigo Thrash, Garden Fairy 

Marielle Tyson, Garden Fairy

Jovanni Walker, Party Girl 

Gigi Wingo, Clara 

Wilson County 

Macie McGinty, Russian 

Emmeline Roehler, Baby Mouse

ABOUT NASHVILLE BALLET:

Nashville Ballet, the largest professional ballet company in Tennessee, presents a varied repertoire of classical ballet and contemporary works by noted choreographers, including original works by Artistic Director Nick Mullikin, and other guest artists.

Nashville Ballet’s 2024-25 season lineup includes upcoming productions of the beloved classics Nashville’s Nutcracker and The Sleeping Beauty, all choreographed by Artistic Director Emeritus Paul Vasterling.  Patrons’ support helps to sustain Nashville Ballet’s artistic and educational excellence, accessible arts education to children and adults throughout the Nashville area and beyond, contributing to the city’s vibrant arts and cultural landscape. Tickets are now available through NashvilleBallet.com or by calling 615-297-2966 ext. 710.

Nashville Ballet creates, performs, teaches, and promotes dance as an essential and inspiring element of the Nashville community. Season ticket holders’ support helps to sustain Nashville Ballet’s artistic and educational excellence, accessible arts education to children and adults throughout the Nashville area and beyond, contributing to the city’s vibrant arts and cultural landscape.

Nashville Ballet and the second company, NB2, provides more than 55,000 arts experiences to adults and children annually through virtual and in-person season performances and Community Engagement programming. Nashville Ballet curriculum-based Community Engagement and Education Programs bring dance education to over 16,000 students in over 25 schools across 21 council districts in Middle Tennessee. School of Nashville Ballet provides exceptional dance training to students ages two and up. 

Nashville Ballet receives public funding from the Tennessee Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts. Contributions from local, regional, and national institutional funders, community partners, and hundreds of generous individuals provide ongoing support for Nashville Ballet’s mission-critical programs. 

To learn more about Nashville Ballet, please visit NashvilleBallet.com.