Cultural Events

58th Music Centre ‘Nutcracker,’ This Weekend At Danbury High School

Published: Dec 11, 2025 9:08 am

DANBURY — The holiday season is about to shine brighter as Danbury Music Centre presents The Nutcracker.

Now in its 58th year, the production will return to Danbury High School Friday through Sunday, December 12-14.

DMC’s Nutcracker is a magical holiday experience for all ages. With a live orchestra conducted by Maestro Ariel Rudiakov, the performance gains a depth and emotion unmatched by recorded music. This year celebrates the 90th anniversary of DMC sharing music with the community.

The beloved tradition brings Clara’s magical journey to life with dazzling choreography, stunning costumes, and enchanting sets — an unforgettable winter treat for families and dance lovers alike.

Under the direction of Arthur Fredric and Lisa Denton, the production features a talented cast of over 200 dancers and musicians from surrounding communities, with Newtown’s Fiona Shaw in the principal dancer role of Sugar Plum Fairy. Other Newtown dancers this season include Alina Bolf, Harper Brundage, Allison Estes, Brooke Estes, Kailyn Lahey, Zoe Giordano, Margaret Grasso, Vivian Sawyer, Rafaella Souza, Ruth Tepper, and Sadie Tepper.

In the orchestra pit, audiences will hear Newtown residents Donna and Chris Locke, Sheila Doherty, and Bryce Doherty. Production staff members from Newtown include Amy DeLoughy as executive producer/company manager, Dody Flynn as associate choreographer, and Marya Gaiser as assistant costume coordinator.

Performances are scheduled for 7:30 pm Friday and 3 pm Saturday and Sunday. Tickets range from $10-$41.50 and are available at danburymusiccentre.org.

The high school is at 43 Clapboard Ridge Road in Danbury.

Fiona Shaw, shown as Ballerina Doll in 2024, will dance the role of Sugar Plum Fairy in the 58th year of Danbury Music Centre’s The Nutcracker this weekend. —Marni McNiff photo

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Propaganda is the systematic dissemination of information, often biased or misleading, to shape public perception and behavior toward a specific political cause or point of view. I'm not asking for Newtown Bee to editorialize, but providing context, where appropriate, to provide the reader with a more holistic view of the facts seems like a reasonable practice, particularly when encouraging the reader to decide what to believe/not to believe. Absent that context, this feels biased and misleading and intended to shape public perception.

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58th Music Centre ‘Nutcracker,’ This Weekend At Danbury High School

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