The Nutcracker, an old fashioned holiday ballet performed annually by the Carnegie Performing Arts Center, will perform at the Andrew Carnegie Music Hall, 300 Beechwood Avenue in Carnegie. Performances will be on Saturday, December 10, at 7 pm, Sunday, December 11, at 2 pm, Saturday, December 17, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, December 18, at 2 p.m.

Alexis Retcofsky, a teacher at the Carnegie Performing Arts Center and a graduate in theater from Point Park University, will dance the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy. Shelby Self, a senior at Seton LaSalle, will dance the Queen of the Snow along with the Snow King, David Keller, who is a senior at Westinghouse Arts Academy. Sarah Kief, a freshman at Point Park University will dance the role of Dew Drop and Ana Lewis, who is in the 7th grade at Chartiers Valley Middle School, portrays Clara. Dancers from many community dance schools ranging in age from 5 – adult round out the cast of swirling snowflakes and candy flowers. Monica Ryan, director of the Carnegie Performing Arts Center will be choreographing the production. Tickets are $22 for adults and $20 for students and seniors and are available at the door or on line through the website. For more information please contact the Carnegie Performing Arts Center at (412) 279-8887 or access the website at www.carnegieperformingartscenter.com