Laura Lloyd, Sales and Marketing Manager at The Mill Arts Centre, sits down with Orit Sutton (pronounced Oreet), Artistic Director and Producer of Let’s All Dance Ballet Company, to discuss their upcoming festive ballet coming to Banbury this December.
What do you think makes The Nutcracker such a beloved festive tradition for families?
The Nutcracker is quintessentially Christmassy and has become a staple for many families, even those who don’t watch ballet at any other time of the year – with romance, sparkle, adventure and sweets, it’s the perfect holiday treat!
The costumes in The Nutcracker are always a visual feast. What can audiences look forward to?
This year our costumes will be more glorious than ever! Our designer and costume maker are hard at work enhancing, designing and recreating many of the costumes, including for two new characters we’ve introduced to the show this season. The colours, shapes and movement of our costumes really will be a festive spectacular!
If a child sees The Nutcracker for the first time this year, what do you hope they remember most?
Every child who sees The Nutcracker will leave with their own special memories – the graceful, lovely dancing of Clara, the exciting fight and leaps of the Nutcracker Prince and King Rat, the iconic sparkling Sugar Plum Fairy, the sumptuous music or beautiful costumes. When I visited the ballet as a child, the whole experience never left me; the atmosphere and transportation into different worlds fired my imagination, and the colours and movement would dance before me when I closed my eyes for weeks after. After our shows, children can take photos with the dancers on stage – something families often tell us they’ll never forget.
At Let’s All Dance Ballet Company, what’s the process behind creating a production like The Nutcracker?
The process starts with discussions with my choreographers and designers to decide the look, feel, target audience, and best touring time – for example, The Nutcracker always runs at Christmas. We approach preferred dancers first, and if needed, hold auditions to fill roles. I secure venue dates, book rehearsal studios, and pass designs to our costume maker. The choreographer leads rehearsals, and I attend as much as possible to direct, shape the story, and maintain the overall standard.
How do you create a magical atmosphere that appeals to both children and adults?
Our productions are carefully crafted to captivate both children and adults. We make sure storylines and character journeys are clear for young audiences, while high production values and our team’s creativity keep adults equally engaged. A theatre visit should feel magical – a chance to escape, immerse yourself in make-believe, and share a live experience. We take our responsibility seriously and feel honoured when people choose to spend their precious time and money with us.
What’s next for the Let’s All Dance Ballet Company after the curtain closes on The Nutcracker?
The Let’s All Dance Ballet Company is extremely busy next year. We shall be touring with Sleeping Beauty, The Princess and the Pea, Alice in Wonderland, The Very Busy Bumblebee, A Christmas Wish and The Nutcracker. We shall also be developing a new production of Romeo and Juliet, which will be our first offer for secondary schools. It’s a hugely exciting time for us as we grow and develop, reaching more young people and families than ever.
The Nutcracker will be live on stage from the 17th to the 24th of December, so book your tickets for this festive treat. Visit our website or pick up our What’s On Guide to discover what’s on at your local theatre!
Full details of our programme are available at www.themillartscentre.co.uk. Tickets can be purchased online, by phone 01295 279002 – or pop into our Box Office in person at The Mill Arts Centre, Spiceball Park Road, Banbury OX16 5QE. The Mill is open 9:30am-4:30pm Monday-Saturday with hot and cold drinks and light refreshments available from the Café Bar.
