Bridgette M. Redman
Forget everything you know about “The Nutcracker.”
On Dec. 6, Wharton Center will host “The Hip Hop Nutcracker,” a holiday extravaganza that defies expectations of the classic tale.
“The Hip Hop Nutcracker” is set in modern-day New York City where Maria-Clara and her Nutcracker prince journey through a dream adventure where they battle the Mouse King and visit the land of sweets. However, they’ve exchanged tutus for street clothes and DJ Boo beat boxes to the tunes of Tchaikovsky’s famous “Nutcracker Suite.”
It’s a joyful, holiday mash-up that has been touring for 11 years and in 2021, the digital version won an Emmy.
The show is bookended with performances by Kurtis Blow, a legendary rapper and one of the founding fathers of the movement who this year is celebrating the 50th anniversary of hip hop.
“I’m so grateful to still be here to experience the 50th anniversary of hip hop and be a part of this monumental show,” Blow said.
While it’s been more than a decade, he said he clearly remembers a friend coming to one of his shows in the Bronx and telling him that he needed to emcee a new project called “The Hip Hop Nutcracker.” Blow did a double-take.
“I said a hip hop what?” he recalled. “So he invited me over to one of the rehearsals. When I got there I opened my eyes and saw these young talented all-star dancers beat-boying and beat-girling to classical music. They had a DJ and he was cutting up funky beats under this classical music.”
While hip hop and ballet fans may not often find themselves in the same rooms, the dancers understand the demands of both forms and don’t hesitate to leap over the bars between the two.
“I think it’s a good look for hip hop and it’s also a good look for theater,” Blow said. “If you like theater, if you like classical music, if you like hip hop, if you like dance, if you like breakdancing, if you like music, you need to come and see this because it is all mashed up into a remixed, reimagined classic story with the timeless music of Tchaikovsky.”
Blow said it is as amazing 11 years later as it was the first time he saw it. It thrives as a classic story of love creating a magic that defeats evil. Fans of the ballet will recognize characters such as the Mouse King and his army, Drosselmeyer, the Nutcracker and Maria-Clara. However, the story takes place on New Year’s Eve, is performed with only 12 dancers and includes a violinist who interacts with the DJ to create funky beats.
The violinist is Marissa Licata, a Honduran American who has toured with Alicia Keys, Jethro Tull, Ringo Starr, Gloria Estefan and been the concert mistress for such Broadway shows as “Jagged Little Pill” and the 2023 revival of “1776.”
There is still some ballet, Blow says, but there is also a lot of hip hop dance and breakdancing.
“These dancers give 100% every night,” Blow said. “I have seen it with my own eyes. They are an all-star beat boy and beat girl team that is amazing. When you see these power moves to classical music, it’s incredible. You’ll see windmills and head spins, back spins and air twists and air flares and footwork and pop rock and up rock. It’s incredible. All this popping and locking to many styles of hip hop dance is represented by the music of the DJ as well as the classical music. There is something for the entire family.”
Blow said he comes out at the beginning to warm everyone up for the show, singing a medley of old-school hip hop songs to get people amped up for the show. He performs a song called “New Year’s Eve” and then has everyone count down from ten to one before screaming “Happy New Year” and starting the show.
At the end, he comes on for the finale to get everyone throwing their hands in the air and dancing in their seat rows.
“We leave everyone feeling good inside and revitalized and inspired to spread holiday season magic,” Blow said. “Love conquers all — that’s what everyone takes home when they leave the show.”
Jennifer Weber, a Tony and Olivier Award-nominated director and choreographer, is the brain child behind the show. Blow credits her with having conceived the adaptations and updates to the show and making it the extravaganza it is.
“Jennifer is incredible,” Blow said. “She is a visionary. She saw this thing from the beginning. The quest to go out and make this thing happen with the story, and the adaptations and using hip hop dance and beat boxing to classical music was her creation. When I saw it for the first time, I was just amazed and it is her baby.”
The Hip Hop Nutcracker kicks off a series of holiday events at the Wharton Center. The rest include:
- Dec. 9: Holiday Cheer with MSU Symphony Orchestra and Choirs
- Dec. 12: “Voctave: It Feels Like Christmas,” a vocal performance group.
- Dec. 14: Mannheim Steamroller Christmas
- Dec. 17: Lansing Symphony Orchestra’s Holiday Pops
- Dec. 18-20: Cirque Dreams Holidaze
- Tickets for all shows: whartoncenter.com
