Magic City Nutcracker returns in person this season

After last year’s Magic City Nutcracker had to be performed virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, artistic director Stephanie Rangel said it is good to be back in person in 2021.

The organization is even more excited to be at the historic Lyric Theatre in downtown Birmingham, she said. This year’s shows are Dec. 3-5, with a Friday evening performance at 7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday matinee performances at 2 p.m. There is also a gala performance Saturday at 7 p.m., with a patron party and gala reception after the play.

There are 120 performers in the community cast, coming from all over the area, along with guest artists including Formations Dance Company and Central Danza from Puerto Rico, which was in the film produced last year. There are 33 studios represented, Rangel said.

Choreographers, directors and the cast work tirelessly to prepare for the shows, and they have added a few roles for this year’s play, Rangel said.

“There’s really nothing else like it,” she said.

The show creates a sense of wonder and is a family-friendly performance, Rangel said. This year’s “Christmas Spirit” role will bring a little Disney magic because the performer formerly danced for the Disney company, she said.

The Nutcracker is so meaningful and draws large crowds because it is full of joy, hope and wonder, Rangel said. “There’s a sense of magic; there’s a sense of anything can happen.”

Unlike other productions, the Magic City Nutcracker does not present the story as a dream, but as a reality, Rangel said.

Tickets can be purchased online at Ticketmaster or by calling the Lyric box office at 205-252-2262. For more information, visit magiccitynutcracker.org.