St. Charles performers to grace ‘Nutcracker’ ballet

A beloved tradition once more will light up the stage, when the Beth Fowler Dance Company and Beth Fowler School of Dance present “The Nutcracker Ballet.”

For 29 years, the Beth Fowler dancers and artists have ushered in the holiday season with the annual production of the ballet, featuring the music of Tchaikovsky. Performances will take place at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2; 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3; and 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4, at the Egyptian Theatre, 135 N. Second St. in DeKalb. Beth Fowler has studios in both St. Charles and Genoa.

“This is always one of our most favorite times of the year,” Fowler, who also serves as the company’s artistic director, said in a news release.

Few in the building will be as excited for the rise of the curtain on opening night as Ellie Books of Sycamore.

The Sycamore High School senior, 17, will dance the role of the Rose Queen, who headlines the “Waltz of the Flowers.” When she steps onstage, it will mark Books’ first appearance in a Beth Fowler production, or any other live stage production since severe knee injuries forced her to pause her dancing career at the end of middle school.

“I love dancing, and I love performing on stage,” Books said in the release. “And I really love that I get back on the stage to dance, in this role, especially.”

Books will be joined in the production by dozens of fellow Fowler Company dancers, including Lorraine Robinson, 17, of DeKalb, and Clara Owen, 18, of St. Charles.

Robinson, a senior at DeKalb High School, and Owen, a senior at St. Charles East High School, each get the opportunity to dance the role of the Snow Queen. Robinson will dance the role on Friday night and Saturday afternoon, while Owen will perform in the role Saturday evening and Sunday. When they are not dancing as Snow Queen, they will alternate as the role of the “Spanish” soloist.

In 2021, Owen landed her namesake role, as Clara. But for her, no role could compare to Snow Queen.

“Snow Queen is the role I’ve wanted since joining the company,” Owen said in the release. “And it’s even better that I get to share it with my friend Lorraine.”

They each will partner with the Snow King, danced by Ben Fowler of Kingston.

Alexis Green, 15, of Hampshire, will dance the central role of Clara. She will partner with Brady McCue, 17, from St. Charles, who will dance the role of the Nutcracker Prince.

McCue, a senior at St. Charles East High School, said it is an honor to get “such a big role” for his senior year, a production that may be one of his last with the Beth Fowler Dance Company.

“With this being my first time in a lead role in a ballet, it’s been so challenging and fun,” McCue said in the release. “I can’t wait to get out there and perform this for everyone. … [The ballet] is a classic, and so fun to watch. Every year brings something different.”

BFDC alum and current BFSD dance instructor Jennifer Flatland of Hampshire will dance the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy. The role of the Sugar Plum Cavalier will be played by dancer Taylor Maurchie-Banks of Rockford, a student at Northern Illinois University.

Other area dancers include Ben Christian of Sycamore as Fritz; Emily Belzey of South Elgin as Arabian Queen; Brandon Fowler as Arabian King; Alexa Johnson of South Elgin as the Christmas Fairy; and Mekdes Lenth of Kingston, and Sonali Jain of St. Charles each playing the Rat King.

Phil Masterton of Rockford will return to the role of Herr Drosselmeyer.

Ticket prices range from $15 to $24. Children ages 3 and younger get in free. All children’s tickets include a “Meet & Greet” backstage after the show, for a keepsake photo with the cast.

To purchase tickets, visit www.BethFowlerDanceCompany.com. Tickets also may be purchased at the door beginning one hour before each performance.