Dream Weaver

ON A WARM afternoon in late October, dancers come and go from a crowded room near the administrative offices of Oklahoma City Ballet. Colorful pastel drawings are taped to the walls, and dozens of costumes hang on rolling clothing racks. In the middle of the room stands principal dancer Courtney Conner Jones, a long flowing dress safety-pinned at the back. It’s the final fittings of new costumes for the Oklahoma City debut of an all-new production of Tchaikovsky’s holiday classic, The Nutcracker.

Artistic director Ryan Jolicouer-Nye created several new characters and a few plot twists for the December production, set in 1906.

“Our goal was to honor the rich history and tradition of The Nutcracker while simultaneously inviting the audience to embark on a fresh, unexpected adventure,” says Jolicouer-Nye. “Striking that balance between reverence for the past while introducing new elements was challenging, but I believe we’ve achieved something timeless and deeply satisfying.”

Set transitions will happen “a vista”—an open scene change where nothing is hidden from the view of the audience.

“While we won’t rely on flying effects or elaborate tricks, the true magic will emerge through the storytelling, the dancing, the lighting, and these choreographed scene changes,” Jolicouer-Nye says. “Every moment is crafted to create a new immersive experience that lets the magic unfold naturally onstage.”

That magic also comes from the nearly 200 costumes designed by Holly Hynes, longtime director of costumes for New York City Ballet. She and Jolicouer-Nye envisioned the designs together.

The process began on June 1, 2023. Hynes drew all the designs inspired by months of research. Then the designer and her team sampled more than 4,000 fabric swatches. The costumes were constructed by eighteen artisans and makers, and initial fittings began at the end of July in New York City and finished in Oklahoma City in October.

Hynes, who has seen the modern Balanchine production of The Nutcracker more than a hundred times, says designing a new production of a treasured storybook ballet is like starting from scratch.

“Each production has a different choreographer, and together with the scenic designer, we all agree on a period to set Act I,” Hynes says. “Then my love of historical research kicks in. That is what makes The Nutcracker so fun. You get to work with period costumes as well as fantasy. I also try to create a look that is special for the city we are in.

“It’s the timeless story we know, infused with delightful new twists.”

Photography by Dylan Johnson.

The Nutcracker will be presented December 14–24, 2024, at Civic Center Music Hall in Oklahoma City, with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic and Canterbury Voices.