The Nutcracker, an old fashioned holiday ballet performed annually by the Carnegie Performing Arts Center, will perform this year at the Pittsburgh Masonic Center, 3579 Masonic Way in Pittsburgh. Performances will be on Saturday, December 14 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, December 15 at 5 p.m.

Natalie Twigg, a Senior at Seton LaSalle High School who lives in  Munhall, will dance the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy.  Lana Platt who attends Chartiers Valley High School and is in the 9th grade, will  dance the Queen of the Snow and Alexis Retcofsky, a graduate of Point Park University, will portray the Dew Drop Fairy. Annabelle Charlesworth who is in the 6th grade at South Fayette Middle School,  portrays Clara, while Wyatt Westwood, also in the 6th grade, is from Osborne Elementary School in the Quaker Valley School District and will dance the role of the Nutcracker Prince.  Dancers from many community dance schools ranging in age from 5 – adult round out the cast of swirling snowflakes and candy flowers.   Monica Ryan, director of the Carnegie Performing Arts Center will be choreographing the production. Tickets are $20 for adults and $18 for students and seniors and are available at the door or online through the website.  For more information please contact the Carnegie Performing Arts Center at (412) 279-8887 or access the website at www.carnegieperformingartscenter.com