ORLANDO, Fla. – After a four-day trial run with Sleeping Beauty, The Orlando Ballet Company has set the stage to perform The Nutcracker to a limited audience at the Dr. Phillips Center for Performing Arts.
Curtains will rise for the Christmas classic on Friday night and several performances will be offered through Dec. 20.
[TRENDING: How long will cold blast last? | Florida man describes miracle rescue at sea | First COVID-19 vaccines in US will go to these people]
“I’ve talked to my colleagues throughout the country who are directing other companies and nobody is doing this,” said Robert Hill, artistic director for The Orlando Ballet Company. “Miami City Ballet, they are doing The Nutcracker but in an outdoor venue, nothing like this kind of space.”
Hill said this speaking backstage of the Dr. Phillips Center for Performing Arts as dancers took the stage in a full dress rehearsal. The Orlando Ballet Company is confident of the safety precautions put in place in partnership with DPAC.
“I think that we came into Nutcracker after Sleeping Beauty more confident knowing the protocols we put in place were successful, so we were encouraged to continue doing what we are doing,” Hill added.
Officials with DPAC said they worked with The Orlando Ballet company for months to develop those safety protocols ahead of Sleeping Beauty.
The shows will not have intermission to prevent crowding at bars and bathrooms, temperature checks will be required as well as masks worn at all times.
As far as seating, DPAC is only allowing 35% capacity inside the Walt Disney World Theater, seating every other row and parties at least three seats apart.
The first showing of The Nutcracker is on Friday at 7:30 p.m.
For more information on the safety precautions at DPAC, click here.