NYC Ballet to Bring George Balanchine’s the Nutcracker To Movie Theaters

This holiday season, New York City Ballet's acclaimed production of George Balanchine's The Nutcracker™ arrives in movie theaters across the country for one magical night. New York City Ballet presents George Balanchine's The Nutcracker™ LIVE featuring special guest host Kelly Ripa of LIVE! With Kelly, will be broadcast to more than 550 theaters nationally on Tuesday, December 13 at 6:00 p.m. ET/ 5:00 p.m. CT/ 7:30 p.m. MT/PT/HI/AK (tape delayed). As host of the live broadcast, Ripa will take audiences backstage for a behind-the-scenes look at the magic of The Nutcracker including interviews with NYCB principal dancers and others who bring this holiday classic to life onstage. This special holiday event will also feature an exclusive visit to a rehearsal at the School of American Ballet, the official school of New York City Ballet and home to the young ballet students who perform in the production each year.

Tickets are available at participating theater box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com. For a complete list of theater locations and prices, visit the NCM Fathom website (theaters and participants are subject to change).

"We are thrilled to bring this beloved holiday production to audiences around the country, in what we hope will be the first of many opportunities to present New York City Ballet's extraordinary repertory in movie theaters throughout the world," said Katherine E. Brown, NYCB's executive director. "We are particularly delighted to have Kelly Ripa hosting this landmark presentation, bringing her unmatched passion and energy to this very special event."

Ripa is co-host of the popular syndicated morning talk show LIVE! With Kelly and recently celebrated her 10th anniversary as co-host of the show. After 10 consecutive Daytime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Talk Show Host with partner Regis Philbin, the duo recently was honored as co-winners of the 2011 Daytime Entertainment Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Show Host for "LIVE."

New York City Ballet presents George Balanchine's The Nutcracker™ LIVE is being produced for movie theaters by the award-winning Live From Lincoln Center team that brings live performances to millions of viewers every year. This special holiday presentation will be broadcast to select movie theaters through NCM's exclusive Digital Broadcast Network.

The Nutcracker will transport audiences to a dream-like place filled with visions of Sugarplum Fairies, marching toy soldiers and a glowing one-ton Christmas tree that will grow, seemingly forever, in front of movie theater audiences nationwide. The production will feature NYCB Principal Dancers Megan Fairchild and Joaquin de Luz as the "Sugarplum Fairy" and her "Cavalier" and Ashley Bouder as "Dewdrop," accompanied by the 62-piece New York City Ballet Orchestra under the direction of conductor Clotilde Otrano.

Other highlights of this enchanting presentation include an onstage snowstorm and hundreds of elaborate costumes including one for "Mother Ginger" that measures nine feet wide and weighs 85 pounds. The production's grand finale will also use more than one million watts of lighting – the most used in any New York City Ballet production.

Set to Peter Ilyitch Tschaikovsky's glorious score, George Balanchine's The Nutcracker™ features choreography by Balanchine, scenery by Rouben Ter-Arutunian, costumes by Karinska, and lighting by Mark Stanley after the original design by Ronald Bates. The production will feature more than 70 New York City Ballet dancers, the 62-piece New York City Ballet Orchestra, and 50 children from the School of American Ballet, the official school of NYCB.