HELENA – Kids in Helena got the chance Saturday afternoon to meet the cast of a holiday favorite.
Seven performers from the Queen City Ballet Company’s upcoming presentation of “The Nutcracker” visited Lasso the Moon Wonderful Toys on the Walking Mall. Characters like the Nutcracker Prince and the Sugarplum Fairy were on hand and in costume to meet with kids. A store employee also read aloud a story for the kids, based around a production of “The Nutcracker.”
Performers said they enjoyed the opportunity to interact with the kids. Sasha Shkurigin, who will play the role of the Sugarplum Fairy, said many of them were particularly excited to meet ballet dancers.
“It’s great getting to see all the aspiring young dancers,” she said.
Shkurigin, a sophomore at Capital High School, says she has been dancing with Queen City for 13 years.
“Our group is all like a big, happy family,” she said. “It’s great to work with people with the same passion.”
“The Nutcracker,” featuring the well-known music score by Tchaikovsky, has long been a popular ballet around the holiday season. Queen City Ballet Company’s production will be performed at the Helena Civic Center, Saturday, Nov. 17, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 18, at 2 p.m. Tickets start at $15. They’re available at the Civic Center box office and at helenaciviccenter.com.
“We’re all working very hard,” Shkurigin said. “We hope to put on a spectacular show for you guys.”
