Gwinnett Ballet Theatre (GBT) will present its 27th edition of The Nutcracker for eleven public performances held December 6th – 21st, 2008. Eight of these performances will be danced to the accompaniment of the live, professional Gwinnett Ballet Theatre Orchestra conducted by Predrag Gosta.

GBT’s traditional interpretation of this favorite holiday classic will include beautifully performed classical dancing, a live magician, and colorful sets and costumes. GBT utilizes the talents of its pre-professional company plus a cast of 80 young students from its non-profit school. The GBT Orchestra conductor, Predrag Gosta, is also the Artistic Director of Atlanta’s highly esteemed New Trinity Baroque Ensemble.

But it isn’t just the students, professional and pre-professional dancers who get in on the action! For the past three years, GBT has invited some of Gwinnett’s most visible business and social personalities to appear onstage as one of our “Celebrity Mother Gingers.”

Mother Ginger is a character in the second act, a very tall “woman” with a huge skirt. Underneath the skirt area dozen small dancers called “Polichinelles” who dash out from underneath the costume and entertain the audience with dance and gymnastic feats.

In reality, the Mother Ginger volunteer enjoys these three minutes of fame at a small “price.” A great deal of stage makeup, a big wig, false eyelashes and a false bust are all a part of the package. Mother Ginger stands on a platform and is literally wheeled onstage by stage hands who also keep the apparatus steady. GBT is happy to say that they have never “lost” a Mother Ginger yet.

This year’s Celebrity Mother Gingers are still being recruited, but so far the list is impressive: Paige Havens of Spitfire Media Group, Cheryl Gee of Gwinnett Center, Demetrius Jordan of United Way, and Jeffrey Scott Bailey of Suwanee Performing Arts have all agreed to appear. And just to top it off, 680 The Fan on-air personality John Kincaid has also just signed on to appear as Mother Ginger. A complete list of “CMG’s” will be forthcoming.

Performances will be given at the beautiful Gwinnett Performing Arts Center located at 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway in Duluth, Georgia. Dates and times are as follows:

Saturday, December 6th at 2:30 and 7:30
Sunday, December 7th at 2:30
The above will be performed to recorded music.

Friday, December 12th at 7:30
Saturday, December 13th at 2:30 and 7:30
Sunday, December 14th at 2:30
Friday, December 19th at 7:30
Saturday, December 20th at 2:30 and 7:30
Sunday, December 21st at 2:30
These performances are accompanied by the
Gwinnett Ballet Theatre Orchestra

Tickets for December 6th and 7th are $20 for adults, $15 for students and seniors, and $10 for groups of 10 or more. Tickets for December 12th-21st are $27 for adults, $22 for students and seniors, and $18 for groups of ten or more.
Tickets can be obtained by calling Ticketmaster at 404-249-6400 or by visiting any Ticketmaster location or the Gwinnett Center Box Office.

For more information contact GBT at 770-978-0018 or visit www.gwinnettballet.org.