The Nutcracker Prequel: A Hard Nut To Crack

A NEW show for the holiday season, this musical adaptation of E.T.A. Hoffmann's "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King" is a large cast, full-length musical comedy that tells the hilarious story that precedes the Nutcracker Ballet!

 

CAST: 4 MEN, 3 WOMEN; Featured BOY, age 10-12; Featured Teen GIRL, age 14-17; CHILDREN’S ROLES age 9-14: Partygoers (sing); Mice (singing and non-singing), Soldiers (non-singing), Exotic Ambassadors (dancing only);  ADULT CHORUS: Partygoers, Servants’ Chorus, Exotic Ambassadors (dancing only).

 

SYNOPSIS: Herr Drosselmeier gives his niece Marie a nutcracker for Christmas.  She falls asleep and dreams about a battle between the mice and her nutcracker.  She tells her uncle, and he tells her the story of how it all came to be.  He says that after the Queen ran all the mice from the castle because they stole the King’s sausages, the Mouse Queen (Mouserinks) sneaked in and placed a spell on the King’s baby girl, Pirlipat, making her as ugly as a nutcracker.  Pirlipat can only be restored to beauty by eating the fabled nut Krakatuk, which must be given to her by a young man who has never shaved and never worn boots.  It takes 16 years, but the court astrologer finally finds Krakatuk and the young man.  But just as Pirlipat is about to eat the nut, Mouserinks appears and knocks the young man over.  Pirlipat is cured, but the young man has been changed into a nutcracker.  To be changed back into a young man, he must battle the 7-headed Mouse King. When the nutcracker seems to have lost the fight, Marie throws her shoe at the Mouse King, slaying him and winning the day.

 

ORCHESTRATION CHOICES: 1) 15 piece orchestra OR 2) Piano/Keyboard and Percussion OR 3) Digital Orchestra Performance .mp3 Tracks   ALL 3 are included.  

 

PERFORMANCE TIME: 95 minutes plus intermission 

 

HOW TO LICENSE THIS MUSICAL FOR PERFORMANCE: Your purchase of the minimum required Libretto/Vocal Books allows you to PRODUCE this show!  Simply email a copy of your JW Pepper receipt to [email protected] and you will sign a contract with TND MUSICALS for your performance dates.  All Production Materials - which currently cost $370 - are delivered digitally so you don't have to erase markings and mail the orchestra books back!  If you are an accredited School Theatre, there are NO LICENSING FEES.  All other theatres will pay a negotiated licensing fee based on your number of performances, ticket prices and seating capacity.  More information at www.licensingmusicals.com