Houston Repertoire Ballet (HRB), Houston’s premier pre-professional ballet company, celebrates its 30th season, beginning with its 27th annual performance series of The Nutcracker.

Featuring exquisite professional guest artists Anabel Katsnelson as the Sugar Plum Fairy and Alexander Peters as the Cavalier, both of Miami City Ballet, along with Eli Waunch as the Snow King, and Joseph Modlin as Herr Drosselmeyer, accompanied by the HRB Company Orchestra directed by Tarana Taylor. Eli Waunch appears courtesy of Houston Ballet Academy, official school of Houston Ballet, Julie Kent & Stanton Welch AM, Artistic Directors.

HRB’s community outreach program, The Nutcracker Experience, debuts in Cy-Fair ISD through a generous grant from Texas Women for the Arts and Texas Commission on the Arts, expanding HRB’s outreach mission to children currently attending Title-1 schools in Cy-Fair ISD. Through this outreach, 2,500 students from 19 campuses have the opportunity to attend The Nutcracker performance. In addition, the students had an opportunity to audition to participate in the production free of charge (including class attire, costumes, and other supplies). These students have the unique opportunity to participate as dancers in three HRB The Nutcracker school performances for an audience of their peers.

Major funding is provided by: Texas Commission on the Arts, Texas Women for the Arts, Megan & Avery Davis

Additional season sponsors include: Dance Trends, David Metcalfe Photography, Sherry and Steven Freeman, Al and Patti Brooks, Kwok Daniel, LP

Photo credit: Scott Nilsson; Graphic design: Kendall McLellan