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Part of the cast from Mixed Nuts.[/caption]
By Dawn Watson
Heading into the holiday season, Diane Shumway knew that she’d have to get extra creative for Studio 3’s annual production of “Mixed Nuts.” With her leading dancers from year’s past now away at college, and approximately three dozen very young students to cast, the Bridgehampton-based dance instructor would need to be fast on her feet if she wanted to put together a decent “Nutcracker”-themed production.
But instead of lamenting the lack of mature dancers, Ms. Shumway decided to take advantage of what she had—an ensemble of extremely enthusiastic hoofers. Mashing up Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s classic ballet with the kid-filled favorite “Annie” Broadway musical seemed like the perfect solution to her particular challenge.
“It’s the youngest cast ever, but they are really energetic and into the show,” says the veteran instructor of her budding ballerinas, jazz-, modern- and hip hop dancers and tappers. “It’s been a real pleasure.”
Set at an orphanage instead of at the Stahlbaum’s home, the classic Christmas tale, which stages at Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor this weekend, unfolds in similar fashion as one would expect. But instead of Clara, the little red-headed orphan, played by Sag Harbor’s own 11-year-old Maeve O’Donoghue, is the star of this show.
Incorporating the “Annie” character’s storyline into the ballet allows for some interesting supporting cast changes. The role of the talented toymaker/godfather Drosselmeyer becomes Daddy Warbucks, who is danced in this production by Studio 3 instructor Thomas Gallo. And the dastardly Rat King morphs into the mean-spirited orphanage caretaker, Miss Hannigan, who is played by Studio 3 instructor Jenna Mazanowski.
The title Nutcracker role, danced by 17-year-old Emma McMahon of Sag Harbor, remains essentially the same. But in the “Mixed Nuts” production the character is represented as a nesting doll-type gift filled with money by Daddy Warbucks instead of a tiny toy-turned-life-size character. Additionally, instead of the typical ballet dancing, this Nutcracker is a pro tap dancer.
“It’s the Nut Tapper instead of the ‘Nutcracker,’” laughs Ms. Shumway.
There are still enough similarities to the classic “Nutcracker” story for the audience to easily follow along, but the “Annie” additions—including the addition of 7-year-old Logan Tarlow of Sag Harbor as Sandy the Dog—are quite memorable, says Meredith Shumway, who teaches ballet, jazz and hip hop at Studio 3. Particularly in Act One.
For example, the show opens with Miss Hannigan forcing the orphans to scrub the place up for the impending arrival of Daddy Warbucks, who is bringing gifts for the children. Instead of the party scene, the characters instead adorably set the stage by dancing to “It’s the Hard Knock Life.” And the battle scene between the mice and soldiers instead becomes a struggle between Miss Hannigan and the orphans over the coins and cash that fill the nutcracker.
Though Act One blends together the storylines from “Nutcracker” and the musical based on Harold Gray’s comic strip “Little Orphan Annie,” Act Two more closely follows the traditional “Nutcracker” action, says Ms. Shumway.
“We still have ‘The Waltz of the Flowers,’ the pas de deux and the grand divertissement,’ says Ms. Shumway, who is the daughter of the Studio 3 founder. “That’s all the more traditional ballet.”
The overall result of the creative marriage of the two beloved stories is a new twist that should be fresh and fun, says the senior Ms. Shumway.
“It’s a real treat,” she says. “Though I should have probably renamed it ‘It’s a Hard Knock Nutcracker.’”
At least one performer is very glad for the turn that this year’s “Mixed Nuts” has taken. Ms. O’Donoghue, who lives with her parents Carla and Tom in Sag Harbor, is over the moon about mash-up.
“I really wanted to be Annie, the Sag Harbor Elementary School fifth grader says. Dancing at Studio 3 in Bridgehampton since she was 3 years old, she’s very excited about her first big lead. “I can’t wait to get out there and dance!”
The two stories mesh together quite well, says the junior Ms. Shumway. And in the end, the audience should leave quite satisfied, as all the dancers do a terrific job and Annie’s dreams of happiness still eventually come true.
“Of course there’s a happy ending,” she says. “There’s always a happy ending.”
This year’s Studio 3 production of “Mixed Nuts” will stage at Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor on Friday, December 18, and Saturday, December 19, at 7 p.m. and on Sunday, December 20, at 1 p.m. For reservations, and additional information, visit www.studio3.com.
