Chocolate Nutcracker

From the moment the curtain rose until final farewell, the show was riveting, joyful, and entertaining. The dancers were amazing, and inspirational! As an audience member, I felt part of the show and moved to tears many times. Moving forward, this will become a holiday tradition for me and my family.

The whole cast was used, I liked the urban twist on the whole production

The show was very good. I like the music and the dancers were great.

My husband and I were very excited to see the Chocolate Nut Cracker. I have always wanted to see the original Nut Cracker but never had the opportunity. When this one came to Orlando I was excited. All of my expecations were meet. As as African American I was especially thrilled to see such a beautiful ballet,and the use of all the young black talant. Whoo Hoo!

The Chocolate Nutcracker is a must see event! This adaptation of the original Nutcracker was nicely presented and the use of the children dancers was a good touch. This is a holiday event to be shared with all family members!

This extravaganza was well worth the money! Finally a venue to showcase the extradinary talent of our local youth. The dancers and music were phenomial and the appearance of the Mime Boys was icing on the cake.

I have seen this twice at Ruth Echerdt Hall and a third time just yesterday at the Bob Carr Theater. I am sooo glad it is being performed in Orlando. It is absolutely entertaining and will have you smiling at the novice little performers as well as leave you awestruck by the accomplished. The costumes are eyecatching and the music will have you moving in your seat. This is an alltogether thoroughly enjoyable show!

THE CHOCOLATE NUTCRACKER WAS AWESOME. THIS IS MY 2ND YEAR AND EACH YEAR GETS BETTER AND BETTER. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK AND I LOOK FORWARD TO IT COMING BACK NEXT YEAR. MY MOTHER WANTS THIS PERFORMANCE TO COME TO ATLANTA.

My daughter and I enjoyed this production very much. This gave us a mommy/daughter time out during my busy schedule. I am hoping to enroll my daughter at the studio in Orlando. This was our first time attending this type of event and I am glad I purchase tickets. The Children and young adults were awesome Thank you

The performers were amatures indeed but the costumes were delightful and colorful. I think it had too much dancing period and not enough ballet numbers. The ending was too long and became boring to youngsters. The overall theme strayed too far from the orginal verson of the Nutcracker.

It was fun, colorful, and funny! Well put together, and the dancing was AWESOME! I loved it! There wasn't a dull moment...It was a great experience!

Absolutely, unequivocally, a great show and product. As an effect of a "Soulful Twist," an entirely new feel was brought to this classic Christmas Ballerina tale. All of the participants were marvelous and graceful - the children of all ages, the more experienced performers to the professionals. Colorful customs, back-drops and transitions were glib served to further enhance the entertainment value and enjoyment of the show.

Last night i went to the Chocolate Nutcracker. I was beyond disappointed. Traumatized even. i was told it was a wonderful "ethnic" version of THE Nutcracker so I went in there expecting to be wowed. What I got was a bunch of kids jumping around on stage through made up places like "gospel-land and funk-land". To be fair I gave it a 2 because these kids worked hard for the last 7-9 months practicing and rehearsing for this show. I fault the adults and the promoters for this guffaw. Tell the truth and I am sure people will still see it. Just without being traumatized and extremely disappointed. This is children's community theater doing the annual holiday show. It is by no means a multicultural version of the Nutcracker.

Stevie and his crew did a really good job. Good to see diversity and other talents that wouldn t normally be seen!

This a fantastic show. Mr. Steven Massey does an incredible job directing, the costumes are remarkable, the music is great and the dancing is unforgettable!! I can't wait to see this again in 2017.

I made this a Christmas present and I believe this will be a annual event. My granddaughter would like to audition next year

The delay, preliminary speeches, thanks and gifts made it 15 minutes longer as people paraded across the stage, a badly drafted program that didn t describe the details of teh production but did have lovely photos of every adult and child remotely connected to the production, the babies under 3 (and yes, there was some crying but it may have been me), people texting and playing video games during the production (the teenager next to me was playing a game on her tablet no sounds but light and her mom was on her phone texting so I didn t think saying something to the teenager was a wise move), made it seem more like a production at the community center or church than an event downtown at the Times Union where I paid $15 just to park. The production itself was disjointed but some of the dancing was good and some was amusing. The amusing got huge applause, as did the gospel and the West African drumming that made Claire proud of her ancestors. The ballet was not so nicely rewarded. Truly loved those plus sized dancers up there giving it their all and doing a very nice job of it. Never saw that at The Nutcracker. And as always, the children were extremely cute and some quite talented. I expected it would be a rewrite of the traditional Nutcracker but it could use an edit. If this is early 60's Harlem, for example, Hip-Hop as we know it today didn't really belong in Claire's dream. The snakes were ... interesting. I'd have thought nightmares of rats might have been more appropriate but the dancing was fine. The music was taped and that wasn't a surprise (it was the same at the Florida Theatre Nutcracker when I attended) but at one point it sounded like an old scratchy record. I suppose that could have been on purpose but I could have done without that. I had high hopes and overall I was disappointed.

I was beyond excited about going to see the Chocolate Nutcracker, but sadly, it ended up being a disappointment. The concept and story is great, but most of the dancing is just mediocre. Many of the dancers were off beat and off queue. The sound system was also terrible and not very well coordinated. The first half of the show was slow and quite boring. A few parts of the second half were entertaining, though. "The Land of the Sweets" was fun to watch, especially the upbeat hip-hop dance/music. The rest was just average, really. Definitely not worth the near-$50 per ticket that I paid. The show is worth about half that.

I was very impressed with the program and the behavior of all those children. So much talent on one stage.

Really enjoyed the play!! Would love to see another one...had a great time

The Chocolate Nutcracker is an underrated event that has all elements of music and dance. Not anyone would be dissatisfied with this show. What is more incredible is the fact that the performers are very young from elementary to high school and maybe a few college students. I recommend this show for all ages and all cultural backgrounds since there is something for everyone. The Afro-Caribbean flavor is so done very well for the Nutcracker. Congrats to the director and choreographers.

A new twist to and old tradition. However, the old tradition was not lost. My whole family loved it.

This was truly a wonderful opportunity for children of all ages, particularly African Americans. Thank you Jacksonville for your overwhelming support.

Being a dancer myself I found it to be over all okay, yet sloppy execution in certain parts. this was an excellent opportunity you to take culture and as a spin off from the original Nutcracker blow it out of the water. I don't feel that it was done well. They had some good interesting parts. Yet transitioning from one segment to they other was obvious even to an amateur eye. Not sure if it was fatigue that reared it's ugly head but something was definitely not right. And not sure if I was they only one who realized that they nutcracker mask was white. I thought that was a little off.

I have seen the original nutcracker and while it was an interesting story on various levels, I could only sit through it once; however the chocolate nutcracker held our families attention (including the children) and it was vibrant and exciting. I especially enjoyed seeing some familiar local faces. I would definitely see this again.

The show was great but the ushers constantly brought people in throughout the show and they were standing in front of my 4 yr old and she couldn't see the show.

It was awesome. I absolutely loved it. The African dancers were amazing. The talent was phenomenal.

If you enjoy musicals this is a must see; if you don't enjoy musicals this is a must see. The talent displayed in this production was simply amazing. Everyone behind the scenes, as well as, the onstage performers accomplished such a remarkable feat. I will see this next year and I truly recommend this event for all to see and enjoy; you will!

I took my middle school daughter to see this play, it was the first time for both of us. I was surprised that majority of the characters were children! These kids are fantastic dancers! The play was very beautiful with the same basis of the traditional Nutcracker but with a great twist on different African American elements. I will definitely come back next year!

This was a fun show. It felt like community theater writ large. The audience was very supportive of the cast, who put lots of energy into their performances, even though they were not always technically precise. Unfortunately, the sound system functioned below the level of high school or community productions, and was barely audible at times. The lighting also was unfortunate at times--when performers stepped down from the main stage to really connect with the audience or be highlighted, they were hard to see until the person running the lights caught on. This improved as the show went on. But technical glitches did slow this performance down. It was a real celebration, and fun to see.

This was my first time to experience The Chocolate Nutcracker. I would highly reccommend seeing this presentation if you haven't yet. It was a Lively, Exciting & Varied Musical Performance by some very talented young people. Well worth the time and money.

This is the first year my family has seen The Chocolate Nutcracker and I must say it was a memorable experience. From the choreography to the skilled dancers, the performance was enchanting. The scenes were amazingly high-energy without a hint of fatigue. I loved it from beginning to end. It's a must-see!

Excellent Program. A must see for all, young and old. Very inspirational. I come every year.

Took my 5 year old twins and my 4 year old niece. The show was awesome! The variety of dance styles kept us on our toes for what was coming next. The kids won't stop dancing, and talking about the show. We are excited for next year!!

It wasn t what I aspect it to be. I thought it was going to be like the original version. I left after intermission. Wasn t happy; wasted money.

My wife and I decided to go to this event at the last minute and were not disappointed. The cast did a fantastic job. The costoms, music, dancing were all first rate. Our favorite scean was Africa. At intermission we called a friend to tell them that this was a must see event. Unfortunately, there was only one more show and they had a conflict.

If you want culture, get in the holiday spirit, watch some really talented young adults (and some older adults too) as well as watch a high energy event- this is it. We really enjoyed it and we will be back next year!

Want an amazing entertainig story tellin event. I was in awe of the children performance and their energy. I sat on the edge of my set totally sucked into the performance and my husband who it takes a lot to impress him...gave the performers a standing O! A job well done!

The performance was excellent! The stage and sets were tremendous, an excellent Christmas program which I plan to make a tradition in years to come!

OMG! The Chocolate Nutcracker was spectacular! I would have gladly paid 10 times the price of admission to see this incredible production!

It was a beautiful presentation. The children were magnificent.

Fabulous! Thanks to all who made it a success!! :)

This was my first time seeing The Chocolate Nutcracker and I was truly amazed how the producer took a different spin on this ballet.Before the first half of the show was over my daughter said,"Mommy this is awesome."And she was so very right.

Fabulous.....fabulous.....fabulous!!! A must see for everyone and every age. Can't WAIT until next years performance!!!

I took our daughter as a mother/daughter outing. As a young aspiring dancer, she was in awe of the performances! I will say this will be an annual event. Next year she may even audition!

Colorful and awesome. Will tell everyone about it for next year.

From the intro to the ending, The Chocolate Nutcracker was entertaining, captivating, and very well coordinated. The choreography was excellent, from the oldest adults to the youngest of tykes. It was a fun and entertaining show. I can't wait for next year!

I saw Chocolate Nutcracker a few years back and loved it! I have been wanted to see it again and for one reason or another didn't. I finally made it this year and it was absolutely as good as I remember, maybe better. The talent that exploded off the stage from children of all ages was incredible! Adults joining them and the energy they all had doing the dances they did was enjoyable. I loved all the different types of dances from ballet pointe to african and everything in between!

What an amazing show with awesome music! Th dances were so much fun and very lively and entertaining!

I love this play and the African American spin they put on it. My family went for the first time last year and so now we are making this a yearly family tradition for the holidays.

I MISSED THE FIRST SEEN HOWEVER THE REST OF THE SHOW WAS GREAT AND HOW DID YOU GET LITTLE FOUR AND FIVE YEAR OLD GIRLS AND BOYS TO WORK AND LEARNING THE DANCE STEPS AND LINES SO WELL. I WILL GO NEXT YEAR

The Chocolate Nutcracker was thoroughly enjoyable the kids were amazing in their dance routines. The costumes were bright and lively. The Maffey Theater was a good experience for me as well. Our seats were excellent. It didn't look like their was a bad seat in the house. Our experience was an enjoyable one and I would definitely recommend other to see it as well. I look forward to upcoming plays to attend in the future

While I appreciate artistic interpretation, and the harwork of all the children in the play, the magic was lost. I love the nutcracker, just thinking of it brings back memories from my childhood. However, the Chocolate Nutcracker crushed my dreams. Im actually glad I didnt bring my children. The story wasnt told, and the connection to the audience if you didnt have a child performing was non existance. Some scenes were great, the children worked hard, and I appreciate the effort, but it wasnt a rendention of "The Nutcracker".

This show was amazing!. I was expecting the same old Nutcracker set to an African theme....... this was so much more than that.

FABULOUS! A High Energy, soul moving performance! The best part is all the local children who work so hard to put on such a fabulous show.

I so enjoyed act one of this event. The production was fantastic for the first half, culminating in a visit to Africa that had tears rolling down my face. However, after the intermission, the dream princess takes us on an unmoving tour of Gospel Land that really should be reworked. My recommendation? End Act One with the Brazilian scene. Move the African sequence to the end, the final scene - make it the wedding. Remove the Gospel Land portion with the Male lead and three women back up singers - this number was very weak. The Gospel portion was better represented by the one female soloist and the three female dancersin spotlight. Some rearrangement would build the energy of the production into a masterpiece. Still, it is worth seeing.

Emensly entertaining, Fun to watch the kids in the cast have such a great time.

My first time to the Chocolate Nutcracker with my 4 year old. It was absolutely amazing. I loved all the different types of dance, the music...it was so entertaining. I can't wait to get tickets for next year!!

It is total excitement for the entire family. The children put on a fabulous show. The levels of expertise was amazing.

Chocolate Nutcracker was so amazing! I was screaming out compliments to the great performers like awesome, wonderful, excellent, grand, beautiful, and absolutely breath-taking! From the drummers to the dancers and singers; they truly used their God-given talents to the max! I am inspired to get into better shape and learn something new!

This was one of the best performances I have ever seen. My teenage daughters thanked me several times for "making them go". We will go back again next year. Outstanding!

Loved this ! The show featured little children who did a great job. The fluidity of the ballet dancers was beautiful.

My wife and I attended the performance and we were very impressed with the staging and performance of the young people participating. You could see that much effort was put into the production and we trust that it will showcase the skills and talents of those aspiring to careers in the arts.

What an amazing production of the Nutcracker chocolate style. It was absolutely wonderful seeing so many talented young people in the performing arts. The show was fabulous, colorful and entertaining. The ballerinas, ladies and the young man, showed that they were having fun on stage and they are excellent in their craft. I attended the show in 2009 as well. I would love to see the theater seats filled. Orlando must get the news of this incredible event. Each performer, other than the ballerinas, should sell at least two tickets and try to get the word out about the performance.

This is my second year attending the Chocolate Nutcracker. I plan to make it an annual event. All the hard work leading to the performance really paid off. The action was non-stop and the dancers were on point. The little ones were sooo cute. We really need to support the arts for the sake of the children.

The performance by the combined choreographers was amazing. I especially enjoyed seeing such a diversity of age groups performing complex routines with such energy and excitement. It was truly a memorable experience and we look forward to seeing it again with our grandchildren next year...

I initially went to this play because it was my mother's favorite Christmas story. She passed away a few months ago, but I know she would have loved to see it. I am glad I did. This was a great display of talent and hard work for our youth. In a time when the media would have you believe our children are lost, The Chocolate Nutcracker demonstrated that our children are not lost. In fact they have found a way to incorporate several generations of dance and song into a Broadway inspired performance that would get any grinch in the mood to celebrate Christmas.

all I can say is that it was Awesome and really to see it again.... :)

The Chocolate Nutcracker was a very classy adaptation of the Nutcracker. I enjoyed seeing all of the local African-American children of Birmingham in the play. The play was quite entertaining and easy to follow. My only criticism was that the play was a bit long. It started at 7:30 and ended very close to 10:00 PM (including a 15 minute intermission). The gospel scene could have been shortened. The featured choir, unfortunately was not very good and could have been omitted. The trip back to the Mother land was splendid, but I was confused that it also included stops/scenes along the Nile River and in Egypt. Notwithstanding, I'd take my family and friends to see the play again.

a small cast of dancers with lots of local talent- we loved it! we had a group of 8--none of us could agree on our favorite scene--- really, the only part of the traditional Nutcracker was the opening scene with the music we all know- then it went off in a totally differeent direction-- and we all found it very refreshing!

All I can say is WOW, loved how they incorparated the kids into the play, the kids from all ags were so cute and on point, I loved the costumes too cute. I will be there supporting the Chocolate Nutcracker again this year, go and support the black community plays, you won't be disappointed. A must SEE !

the costumes were fabulos. the dancing was enthusiastic the entire production is a must see next season for me. it will be added to my nutcracker yearly tradition

The story was very good, and the perfroamce was excellent. Mt complaint is with the first 3 rows of seats. Because the footlights at the front of the stage, stood up about 12 inches above the floor of the stage, the view from the first 3 rows of seats was totally obstructed. We could not see a thing. You should either not sell seats in thefirst 3 rows, or you should remove the footlights.