Though the Nutcracker is normally performed as a ballet, Robert Crown Center will have the classic performed on ice.

“It has been a Robert Crown annual tradition for the last 42 years,” director Shannon Lamaster says.

Though the show uses the same music and plot as the classic ballet, this may be the only part of the show that remains the same. The Nutcracker On Ice has more dance numbers that have been added to the performance as well narration to make it easier for the audience to follow along.

The Nutcracker On Ice goes through the story originally by E.T.A Hoffman about a girl named Clara and her toy nutcracker. When the nutcracker comes to life, the adventure begins.

Though the show is performed in December, practice and auctions started in early August or late Sept. For skaters to get a main role in the show they have to audition for the part. For the auditions skaters hear a piece of music two times. Then they must create an original routine to perform for judges.

There is approximately 175 skater in the show, and the they range from ages of two and three years old all the way to adults.

Though the set doesn’t vary from year to year, this doesn’t mean the set isn’t full of life. “There’s one main tree with a bunch of presents under it. At one point in the middle of the show it gets lifted off the ground so it looks like it’s growing,” junior Grace Newcomb says.

The set has two parts for the two different acts. In act one the rink is set up to look like the Stahlbaum Home on Christmas Eve, while in act two the rink changes to land of the sweets.

All the costumes for the characters come from the Robert Crown costume room where they are kept and used year after year for performances for years to come. The costumes for the non-character skaters come from companies across the country.

The Nutcracker On Ice uses the classical music of the the Nutcracker ballet is written by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

“Most shows have a variety of music and don’t tell a story from start to finish. This is what makes the Nutcracker On Ice unique,” say Lamaster. This is what sets the holiday performance from the rest of the shows and performances that are performed at Robert Crown.

“This show we can count on to be the same music, same set,” sophomore Leia Kendal Sohn says. “This is a part of being a skater and apart of winter.”

The show premieres Friday Dec. 16 and goes through to sunday Dec. 18. The show will have two evening shows and two matinee performances. Tickets will cost $10 if reserved and $9 for general admission.

Though the show runs annually make sure not to miss your chance to see the performance this year. For more information on where to get tickect go to goo.gl/8pPFRk