“A Steamed Nutcracker”
“A Steamed Nutcracker” is an original ballet created by Lari Lawrence-Gist that puts a steampunk spin on a holiday tradition. The story of Sansa is told set to the score of “The Nutcracker” by Tchaikovsky, which is played live by a professional orchestra. The production is staged every other year in rotation with “The Citadel Spectacular”.
Synopsis
It is Christmas Eve. Sansa hosts a party in her grounded zeppelin, and her sister, Fiametta, helps finish decorating. The Seer arrives and greets the girls with warmth and excitement. She “offers” to provide fortune telling for all the guests for the night. Fiametta is very excited, but Sansa tries to object. The Seer will not take no for an answer. Sansa’s best friend, Cora, arrives with a special gift. As the girls prepare to play a game of “battle” with their new toy soldiers, Lawton enters and The Seer begins to have a premonition.
As guests arrive, the two friends are both immediately drawn to Lawton; tension builds. The Seer continues to tell fortunes with her orb. When she reads Cora’s future, a dark prophesy is forseen. Cora doesn’t understand what she has seen and becomes defensive. Sansa, who hasn’t seen the prophesy, defends her friend and refuses to look into the orb. The Seer shows Fiametta instead, and she attacks Cora. Sansa stands in solidarity with her friend. Despite the drama, the party continues, but Cora realizes the attachment growing between Sansa and Lawton. In a fit of confused rage and jealousy, she storms off.
The party continues as Sansa and Lawton fall in love. Fiametta and The Seer try to refocus Sansa’s attention with The Seer’s clock, but Fiametta’s game gets out of hand and it breaks. Lawton distracts her once again and she forgets all about the Seer, and unfortunately, Cora. The Seer tries one more time to get Sansa to see the danger she is in, but Sansa is lost in the daze of new love. The party ends and guests depart. Sansa drifts blissfully to sleep, but The Seer finds a way to haunt her dreams.
The Seer’s birds sound the alarm when Cora, who has come back to have it out with Sansa, breaks in in the middle of the night. Her efforts are broken up by The Seer, and she sends her away. Cora flees, and The Seer begins to enchant the zeppelin to protect Sansa. Sansa, not realizing the real danger she is in, follows The Seer out. The Seer sets the zeppelin off to fly thinking Sansa is safely inside, and surrounds it with an army of Cyborgs. Cora reappears to attack Sansa, and Lawton appears to defend her. Despite all her efforts, The Seer’s prophesy is fulfilled.
The Seer is tortured by her gift of sight. She wants to protect Sansa, but sees now that her actions cannot change the future. She must send Sansa away, but how can she make her listen? Is a small deception worth it in the end if Sansa believes it and moves toward her future with no fear of being visited by The Seer again?
2025
Production Information
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A Steamed Nutcracker Cast List 2025
Matinee Cast
The Seer: Lari Lawrence-Gist
Sansa: Lily Arnold
Lawton: Titan Shaw
Cora: Piper Seaton
Fiametta: Violet Seaton
Brammall: Falcon Shaw
Thyme: TBAACT ONE
Household Staff
Kimberly Barber
Genevieve Gatt
Hadley House
Paige Mulick
Hannah SaboToy Soldiers Sansa's Set
Stella Chinchilla
Evelina Cunningham
William Elefante
Theadora Gatt
Wallace Moguel
Layla SchiferToy Soldiers Cora's Set
Asher Bansen
Maggie Eaton
Adeline Gist
Grace Jacobs
Blakely Harrington
Kenzie KnudsonSansa's Guests
Fiona Arnold
Emily Biggins
Elena Crownover
Hannah Crownover
Kailyn Hinkelman
Annabelle Holt
Tony Jordan
TJ Nichols
Zoey Owens
Titan ShawFiametta's Guests
Cora Berry
Marley Momany
Vivian Van Hekken
Lucy WaltersAviators
Audrey Clements
Ella Guthrie-Emerick
Aria Haase
Ada Schulz
Josie Slye
Sophia VanderboeghSeers Birds
Annabelle Sinnett
Elizabeth Gaspari
Peyton KnudsonThree Eyed Ravens
Sansa: Lily Arnold
Kim Barber
Cora Berry
Emily Biggins
Elena Crownover
Hannah Crownover
Genevieve Gatt
Kailyn Hinkelman
Annabelle Holt
Tony Jordan
Marley Momany
Paige Mulick
TJ Nichols
Zoey Owens
Hannah Sabo
Piper Seaton
Violet Seaton
Titan ShawACT TWO
Timekeepers
Tony Jordan
Marley Momany
Titan Shaw
a 4th will be cast during rehearsalsCyborgs
Sansa: Lily Arnold
Cora: Piper Seaton
Lawton: TBA
Kimberly Barber
Emily Biggins
Elena Crownover
Hannah Crownover
Genevieve Gatt
Annabelle Holt
Hadley House
Tony Jordan
Marley Momany
Paige Mulick
TJ Nichols
Zoey Owens
Hannah Sabo
Violet Seaton
Titan Shaw -
Evening/Cast B
The Seer: Lari Lawrence-Gist
Sansa: Hadley House
Lawton: Tony Jordan
Cora: Genevieve Gatt
Fiametta: Hannah Sabo
Brammall: Falcon Shaw
Thyme: TBAACT ONE Household Staff
Lily Arnold
Kimberly Barber
Piper Seaton
Paige Mulick
Violet SeatonToy Soldiers Sansa's Set
Stella Chinchilla
Evelina Cunningham
William Elefante
Theadora Gatt
Wallace Moguel
Layla SchiferToy Soldiers Cora's Set
Asher Bansen
Maggie Eaton
Adeline Gist
Grace Jacobs
Blakely Harrington
Kenzie KnudsonSansa's Guests
Fiona Arnold
Emily Biggins
Elena Crownover
Hannah Crownover
Kailyn Hinkelman
Annabelle Holt
Tony Jordan
TJ Nichols
Zoey Owens
Titan ShawFiametta's Guests
Cora Berry
Marley Momany
Vivian Van Hekken
Lucy WaltersAviators
Audrey Clements
Ella Guthrie-Emerick
Aria Haase
Ada Schulz
Josie Slye
Sophia VanderboeghSeers Birds
Annabelle Sinnett
Elizabeth Gaspari
Peyton KnudsonThree Eyed Ravens
Sansa: Hadley House
Kim Barber
Cora Berry
Emily Biggins
Elena Crownover
Hannah Crownover
Genevieve Gatt
Kailyn Hinkelman
Annabelle Holt
Tony Jordan
Marley Momany
Paige Mulick
TJ Nichols
Zoey Owens
Hannah Sabo
Piper Seaton
Violet Seaton
Titan ShawACT TWO
Timekeepers
Tony Jordan
Marley Momany
Titan Shawa 4th will be cast during rehearsals
Cyborgs
Sansa: Hadley House
Cora: Genevieve Gatt
Lawton: TBA
Lily Arnold
Kimberly Barber
Emily Biggins
Elena Crownover
Hannah Crownover
Annabelle Holt
Tony Jordan
Marley Momany
Paige Mulick
TJ Nichols
Zoey Owens
Hannah Sabo
Piper Seaton
Violet Seaton
Titan Shaw -
Saturday, Sept 13th
9:30-11:00 Sansa/Cora
11:15-12:15 Sansa/Fiametta
12:15-1:15 Cora/Fiametta
1:30-3:30 Sansa/LawtonSaturday, October 4th
9:00-11:00 Cyborgs
11:30-1:30 Sansa/Cora/Seer/Lawton (Pas de Quatre)
1:45-3:15 Seer's Birds Variation/EntranceSaturday, October 11th
9:00-11:00 Cyborgs
11:30-12:30 Cora Temper Tantrum
12:30-2:00 Cora/Sansa/Seers Birds/Break In
2:00-3:30 Aviators/BrammallSaturday, October 18th
9:00-11:00 Ravens
11:30-1:00 Thyme/Sansa/Sansa's Guests/Fiametta/Fiametta's Guests
1:00-2:00 Fiametta/Friends
2:00-3:30 Sansa/Cora/Toy Soldiers/Aviators (March)Saturday, October 25th
9:00-11:00 Ravens
11:30-2:00 Ball Scenes All except Toy Soldiers
2:00-3:30 Break In Seer's Birds/Sansa/CoraMonday, November 3rd
6:00-7:30 Sansa/CoraSaturday, November 8th
9:00-11:00 Cyborgs
11:30-3:00 Aviators/Sansa/Cora/Fiametta/Brammall/Thyme (Battle)
1:30-3:00 Toy Soldiers (Battle)Monday, November 10th
6:00-7:30 Sansa/Fiametta Cora/FiamettaSaturday, November 15th
9:00-11:00 Ravens
11:30-2:30 Ball Scenes All except Toy Soldiers
2:30-3:30 Sansa/LawtonMonday, November 17th
6:00-7:30 Sansa/LawtonSaturday, November 22nd
9:00-11:00 Cyborgs/Ravens
11:30-3:30 ACT ONE WORK THRU (ACT TWO RUN IF TIME)Monday, November 24th
PICTURES 5:00-7:00Saturday, November 29th
10:00-1:00 Pas de QuatreMonday, December 1st
6:00-7:30 Pas de QuatreSaturday, December 6th
9:30-2:30 ALL (Soldiers 9:30-11:30)Monday, December 8th
TBASaturday, December 13th
9:30-2:30 ALL COSTUME RUNMonday, December 15th
TBATuesday, December 16th
5:00-8:00 Full Run at the Citadel
Toy soldiers released at 6:45Wednesday, December 17th
4:00 CALL TIME
TECH REHEARSAL 4:00-8:00
No Toy SoldiersThursday, December 18th
4:00 CALL TIME
TECH REHEARSAL 4:00-6:00 ORCHESTRA REHEARSAL 6:00-8:30
Toy Soldiers 5:45 Call, 7:30 ReleaseFriday, December 19th
4:00 CALL TIME ALL
DRESS REHEARSAL 6:00-8:30 ALLSaturday, December 20th
11:00 CALL TIME ALL
Performances & Tea Party -
The Citadel Dance & Music Center is a 501 (c) (3) organization dedicated to bringing high quality Dance & Music to our community. Our seventh staging of “A Steamed Nutcracker” will take place on the Mendel Center Mainstage Saturday, December 16th, 2023. This is an original ballet written by Director of Dance, Lari Lawrence-Gist, and is accompanied by a professional orchestra directed by Steven Reed. We are working to bring every elementary age child to the matinee performance so they are able to experience the magic of not only the story, but also, that of the harmonious relationship between Dance & Music. We hope you are as excited to support this production as we are to share it with our community for the seventh time!
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https://citadeldancemusic.ludus.com
