By Conrad Dudderar
Staff Writer
A Route 66 tavern will host a benefit this Sunday for Yukon’s yuletide ballet.
Central Oklahoma Ballet Co. will present the 2021 “Yukon Nutcracker” fundraiser at 2 p.m. Oct. 10 at Grady’s 66 Pub, 444 W Main.
“It’s going to be a beautiful day,” COB Board Member Maggie Fuchs announced. “It will be wonderful to get together and see old friends we haven’t seen in a while.
“We will have live music featuring Gleason Landreth, delicious grilled onion burgers, a silent auction of yummy baked goods, and a raffle.”
The raffle will feature a gift basket containing local and seasonal beers. Other raffle items include four tickets to the Yukon Nutcracker and Nutcracker décor items.
“We’re definitely looking forward to having our Grady’s fundraiser again after we missed it last year,” Fuchs said. “We invite everyone to come, have lunch, listen to good music and visit with friends.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun. You won’t want to miss it.”
Funds raised this Sunday at Grady’s 66 Pub will support Central Oklahoma Ballet’s holiday production of The Nutcracker.
Central Oklahoma Ballet plans two other benefits to help cover production costs – a comical “Duck Lake” program Friday, Oct. 29 and “Sugar Plum Fairy Tea” Sunday, Nov. 14.
This year’s Yukon Nutcracker will feature new costumes and new sets, COB artistic director Debra Vossen said.
IT’S BACK DEC. 4-5
After being canceled last year due to COVID-19, the Nutcracker will return Dec. 4-5 inside the Yukon Fine Arts Auditorium, 850 Yukon Ave.
The curtain will rise at 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday for the dance performances.
“The Nutcracker is just a wonderful way to kick off the Christmas season,” COB Board President Allie Overton said.
Featured guest artists will perform alongside locally trained dancers. They will be accompanied by the Oklahoma Community Orchestra directed by Irv Wagner.
Fuchs, a former Yukon teacher, has danced in Yukon’s Nutcracker since the first performances in December 1994 inside the Yukon Museum and Arts Center (Old Central School).
“I’ve been part of it since the very beginning, in a previous century,” the local arts benefactor said. “We were on a stage where the ceiling was so low, when some of the male dancers lifted the ballerinas, their heads were in a danger of going through the ceiling.
“It made me cry when we didn’t get to have the Nutcracker in 2020. This will be our 26th year and we can’t wait!”
COB’s last Yukon Nutcracker was staged in December 2019 with record audiences attending the 25th anniversary production.
Tickets remain at just $15 in advance and $20 at the door.
