What: The Nutcaper, Dell’Arte 31st Holiday production

Where: The Mateel Community Center (Redway, CA)

When: Tuesday, December 6, 2011 / Doors 7pm / Curtain 8pm

Tickets: At the door only: FREE to MCC Members/ $20 general

Family Night Out Idea: Ring in the Holiday Season with Dell’ Arte’s The Nutcaper at the Mateel

On Tuesday, December 6th, the Mateel Community Center is proud to welcome back the  Dell’ Arte Company with their fantastic, family production of The Nutcaper, a madcap twist on the classic Nutcracker story, this time, from the point of view of the mice.

The mice want to set the record straight! They want to show us what really happened on that fateful night of the battle with the Nutcracker! Described as a delightful tale of tails for the whole family, it’s a story of unlikely heroes: three hungry, unemployed mice, down to their last hard nut, one they just can’t seem to crack. Having fallen on lean economic times, what’s a poor mouse to do?

Unaware of the potential moustakes, moustery and mayhem, the trio hatches a plan to break into the Rat Kingpin’s fancy mansion, and demand their benefits as veterans of the great battle. With miss-step after mouse-step, they accidentally take the famed Nutcracker hostage! Through a series of comic errors experienced together, the Nutcracker and the mice become friends thus discovering the true spirit of the holiday season: Generosity and kindness are the best gifts of all! With family and friends by one’s side, there is no nut too tough to crack.

Tchaikovsky’s famous music for The Nutcracker Ballet is the buoyant orchestration for this zany comedy. The Nutcaper also boasts a fantastic Dell’Arte cast, including Patrik Motwani and Meredith Anne Baldwin, recently seen at the Mateel in the DAI’s musical comedy, Mary Jane: The Musical. Former Whale Gulch resident, Joan Schirle, who played Mary Jane, and is Dell’ Arte International’s Founding Artistic Director, directs this imaginative retelling.

The audience is asked to donate non-perishable food items, which the cast collects and donates to local food banks. It is estimated that the annual DAI holiday show tour reaches 7,000 to 10,000 people each year, including many school-age children. Mateel is proud to welcome back this great international theatre company who make their home right here in Humboldt County.

Bring the family and join us for some holiday cheer on Tuesday, December 6. Doors open at 7pm. Curtain time is at 8pm. Admission is $20 at the door and current Mateel members are free.  For more information, visit www.mateel.org or call 923-3368. Humboldt