The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Home for the holidays
Warner Theatre presents movies, live music and ‘The Nutcracker’
TORRINGTON — The Warner Theater kicks off the holiday season this weekend with movies on the big screen, followed by the Torrington Symphony Orchestra in concert on Dec. 2, and performances of “The Nutcracker” Dec. 9-10.
Tickets are available for all shows can be be reserved by calling the box office at 860-489-7180 or online at warnertheatre.org.
Holiday movies
The fifth annual Holiday Movie Event is Saturday, Nov. 25. Free popcorn will be provided for both films, compliments of Elevator Service Co.
At 1 p.m., “The Santa Clause” will be shown. Doors will open at noon. for a visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus. Admission is free, and a line will form under the marquee.
On Christmas Eve, divorced father Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) and his son Charlie discover the current Mr. Claus has fallen off their roof. When Scott dons Santa’s suit, he unwittingly triggers “The Santa Clause,” and they are immediately whisked away to the North Pole to take on the role of jolly old St. Nick.
Come back in the evening for “Love Actually” at 7 p.m. Funny and charming, it is the ultimate romantic comedy that follows eight couples whose lives intersect shortly before Christmas. The all-star cast includes Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Colin Firth, Emma Thompson, Keira Knightley and more.
Doors will open at 6 p.m. for a visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus. Tickets are $5.
Corporate Sponsors include All-Star Transportation, Connecticut Automotive Retailers Association, Connecticut Community Foundation and the Thomaston Savings Bank Foundation and thank you to the many local businesses whose sponsorship help make the Holiday Movies possible. Special thanks to our Popcorn Sponsor, Elevator Service Company.
Torrington Symphony Orchestra’s ‘A Holiday Celebration’
The Torrington Symphony Orchestra, with chorus, will present “A Holiday Celebration” on Saturday, Dec.2, at 7:30 p.m. in the Warner’s Nancy Marine Studio Theatre. Under the direction of conductor Maurice Steinberg, the concert will feature the Hallelujah Chorus, other holiday favorites and light classics.
The Torrington Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1961 and has been an active part of the musical community ever since. The 45-plus Torrington Symphony amateur and professional musicians are drawn from 25 Connecticut towns, New York and Massachusetts. General admission tickets are $22. Children 12 and under are free.
“The Nutcracker”
It would not be the holiday season without the timeless joy of “The Nutcracker.” The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory will present the full-length version of the classic tale on the Warner Theatre’s Main Stage Saturday, Dec. 9, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 10, at 2 p.m.
All dance roles will feature trainees of The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory, along with cameo roles performed by children from the Torrington School of Ballet. These budding artists come from all over the country to hone their craft and develop their artistry at The Nutmeg. The mysterious Dr. Drosselmeyer will once again be played by accomplished European stage actor Thomas Evertz.
Under the guidance of Artistic Director Victoria Mazzarelli and Ballet Master Tim Melady, the performance features original choreography to Peter Tchaikovsky’s musical masterpiece, which comes together with dazzling costumes (Susan Fazzino), sets (Campbell Baird) and lighting (Joe Gates), bringing the magic alive in a performance sure to become a treasured family tradition. Originally conceived by Sharon Dante, this production features choreography by Mazzarelli, Melady, Susan Szabo, Eleanor D’Antuono and Joan Kunsch. Special coaching for leading roles is provided by D’Antuono and Alexei Tchernichov.
The sets, which were redesigned in 1996 by Campbell Baird, have been lovingly restored by a dedicated group of volunteers drawn from the local artistic community, as well as parents of The Nutmeg Ballet and its children’s program, TSOB.