Theatrical Performance Based on “The Nutcracker”
Mystic, Conn. (November 10, 2016) — Mystic Seaport will open the 2016 season of its Lantern Light Tours Friday, November 25.
A New England holiday tradition, Lantern Light Tours is a 70-minute progressive play that is set on Christmas Eve in 1876. Featuring actors from Connecticut and neighboring states, the cast weaves a heart-warming holiday story in the setting of the historic buildings and vessels of the Museum.
The Lantern Light Tours plot is changed every year and the writing and production planning begins early in the spring. For 2016, the story is based on the classic tale “The Nutcracker.”
“While not a direct telling of ‘The Nutcracker,’ our playwright adapted many details of the story to our setting in amusing and clever ways that we think the audience will enjoy,” said Denise Kegler, the program manager for Lantern Light Tours. “The costumes in particular are a bit more fanciful and dream-like than we would normally be using. It has been a lot of fun for the production team to bring their vision to life.”
Visitors join a group of 16 to tour the Museum’s seaport village, stopping at designated points to take in the next chapter of the story. Along the way, they will enjoy a dance, a horse-and-carriage ride, a sweet holiday treat, and a scene on board one of the Museum’s historic vessels.
This year’s cast is comprised of 55 actors from Connecticut and Rhode Island. While there have always been family connections within the cast, this year it is particularly strong with a father and daughter, an uncle and niece, two married couples, a mother and daughter, and two sisters. The actors range from 11 to 72 years old.
Performances are November 25-26, December 2-3, 9-10, 16-18 and 23. Tours begin at 5 p.m. and leave every 15 minutes.
Tickets can be purchased online at mysticseaport.org/lanternlighttours, or by calling 860.572.5331. Tickets are $32 for adults ($26 for Mystic Seaport members) and $25 for children ages 5-17 ($19 for youth members). Lantern Light Tours are not recommended for children under the age of 4.
Media access is available during the dress rehearsal November 22.
About Mystic Seaport
Mystic Seaport is the nation’s leading maritime museum. Founded in 1929, the Museum is home to four National Historic Landmark vessels, including the Charles W. Morgan, America’s oldest commercial ship and the last wooden whaleship in the world. The Museum’s collection of more than two million artifacts includes more than 500 historic vessels and one of the largest collections of maritime photography in the country. The newly opened Thompson Exhibition Building provides a state-of-the-art gallery to host compelling, world-class exhibits, beginning with SeaChange, which opens December 10, 2016. The Collections Research Center at Mystic Seaport provides scholars and researchers from around the world access to the Museum’s renowned archives. Mystic Seaport is located one mile south of Exit 90 off I-95 in Mystic, CT. Admission is $26 for adults and $17 for children ages 6-17. Museum members and children 5 and younger are admitted free. For more information, please visit https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/ and follow Mystic Seaport on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.
