Country of Origin United States
Description An exhilarating New York City tradition, BAM and Mark Morris Dance Group present the holiday classic The Hard Nut—Mark Morris’ fresh yet faithful homage to The Nutcracker. The piece’s brilliant blend of ballet, modern, and folk dance propels the dramatic narrative that creates a memorable feast for the imagination. Morris sets the action in the swinging 70s against vibrant pop-art inspired backdrops conceived by cartoonist Charles Burns and Adrianne Lobel, complete with go-go boots, G.I. Joe soldiers, a dancing Barbie doll, and inspired gender-fluid casting. The Hard Nut takes its title from the story-within-a-story of Hoffman’s The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, wherein an evil Rat Queen promises to restore the Princess Pirlipat’s beauty if a young man can crack the “hard nut” with his teeth. This mix of playfulness and exquisite dance, combined with the greatest respect for E.T.A. Hoffman’s original story and Tchaikovsky’s complete, original score, earned The Hard Nut the winning spot in Ovation TV’s “Battle of the Nutcrackers” contest three years in a row. With live orchestra, children’s chorus, and 33 dancers (including Mark Morris as Dr. Stahlbaum), The Hard Nut returns for its seventh engagement at BAM since its 1992 premiere.
Identifier 2018f.01215
