Nutcracker Festival enchants young and old

GRAHAMSVILLE, NY — The Tri-Valley Central School District will hold its Nutcracker Festival on Thursday, December 6 and Friday, December 7 in the Tri-Valley Theatre. The Thursday performance is scheduled for 3:00 p.m., and is for Sullivan County third-grade students whose schools have chosen to attend. Friday’s performance is for the general public, and will take place at 7:00 p.m.

The Nutcracker Festival is a collaborative interdisciplinary arts-based learning project between the Tri-Valley Theatre Arts Club, the Monticello High School Academy Classes, Liberty Band and Orchestra Classes and the Liberty, Monticello and Tri-Valley Chamber Music Programs. The original script was written by Lori Orestano-James, director of music for Tri-Valley Central School District. Musical arrangements for the chamber groups are by Nancy Wegryzn, orchestra director of Monticello High School.

Students from the participating schools have worked with their home-based teachers as well as professional resident guest artists to produce every aspect of the 45-minute production. The students have had the opportunity to study their artistic crafts hands on by working with Norman Duttweiler, owner and producer of The Forestburgh Playhouse; Ron Nash, artistic associate and director of The Forestburgh Playhouse; Judith Pearce, artistic director of Weekend of Chamber Music; Seth Sternberg, retired lighting artist from The Metropolitan Opera Association; Bill James, news director for Watermark Communications WSUL/WVOS Radio; Debra Nodhturft of the Kennett Dance Centre; and Meghan Arnott of Bethel Woods Performing Arts Centre.

Tickets for the public performance on December 7 cost $5 for adults and $3 for students. Funds raised from this activity will go toward offsetting the cost of the event.

For more information call 845/985-2296, ext. 5320.