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Norfolk/Wrentham - Local Town Pages

Celebrate the Holidays with FPAC’s The Nutcracker

FPAC Holiday Productions will present the holiday classic The Nutcracker December 4 and 5 at the Franklin High School Auditorium. Experience all the festive magic and colorful splendor of The Nutcracker as FPAC stages its cherished annual production of the holiday classic with live orchestra, special guest artists and more than 100 area dancers. The Nutcracker remains a highly anticipated and treasured part of the FPAC season - a popular holiday tradition for more than 20 years. The world-famous ballet, set to Tchaikovsky’s beloved score, delights the imaginations of audiences young and old with a professional production at a reasonable price. The holiday classic is brought to Franklin under the direction of former American Ballet Theatre dancer Cheryl Madeux.
Guest Artists Elina Miettinen and James Monroe Števko will dance the principal roles of the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier. Elina Miettinen is a New York based professional ballerina, actress, and ballet coach. Growing up in Finland, Miettinen began taking dance lessons in Helsinki when she was a little girl. She was soon accepted to be a full time student at the Helsinki Dance Institute and ballet became her main focus in life. In 2005 Miettinen was recognized as a young promising dancer in Finland and was awarded a Pro Dance Scholarship. She completed her ballet studies by spending a year training in Amsterdam and taking summer courses in Paris, Cannes, and Copenhagen. Miettinen soon signed a contract with the American Ballet Theatre as the first ballerina from Finland. During the spring of 2019, Miettinen landed lead roles in short films “Island” and “Lucid” as well as a supporting role in a film “Lola” which made it into film festivals across the United States. Miettinen recently launched her ballet course online, “Ballet Body Today” (www.balletbodytoday.com). Her mission is to encourage people of all ages and backgrounds to learn ballet and experience the great benefits that ballet can bring.
James Monroe Števko is a NYC-based dancer and actor. He started dancing at 18 after entering college as a trumpet player. He last made his principal acting debut in the award-winning production of Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish, directed by Tony, Golden Globe and Academy Award winning director, Joel Grey. Previously, he has also danced with: The Metropolitan Opera, The Radio City Christmas Spectacular, Milwaukee Ballet, City Ballet of San Diego, and in regional musical theater houses. He has been featured in Dance Teacher Magazine, DanceInforma, and the New York Times Bestseller, I Will Teach You to be Rich.
The production features a professional orchestra under the direction of Broadway conductor/arranger Eric Stern. With 19 Broadway shows to his credit, including Shrek, Xanadu, Follies, Parade, and Candide, Stern has recorded over 30 albums. He has performed in concert with renowned artists Audra McDonald, Mandy Patinkin, Barbara Cook, Dawn Upshaw, Dianne Reeves, Deborah Voigt, Jesse Norman, Thomas Hampson, the Irish Tenors, and many others. Stern has conducted many of the world’s top orchestras including the Cleveland Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra of St. Luke’s and Boston Pops. He won an Emmy for his work for PBS, and his albums have been honored with a Grammy and two Gramophone Awards. He has enjoyed a long association with the National Orchestra of Wales as frequent guest conductor, and he currently teaches conducting at Berklee College of Music.
For tickets and more information, visit www.FPAConline.com or call (508) 528-3370. You can follow FPAC on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube