“Gifts of Christmas” merges the dancing, story, and music of “The Nutcracker” with a Christian message in an original production developed over 25 years by Harmony School of Creative Arts. Performances of the 2024 production are 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, at Hill Country Fellowship, 200 Houston Clinton Drive in Burnet.
The nonprofit school offers dance, music, and art classes at 1503 Mormon Mill Road in Marble Falls.
“This is not just a recital for parents and families,” said Valerie Crim, the school’s operations director. “People plan their holiday travel plans around it. A lot of out-of-towners come just for this.”
“Gifts of Christmas” features the traditional score of Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s Russian classic “The Nutcracker” with more modern music and over 90 young dancers ages 18 and younger. In 2023, the two performances drew a total audience of about 800 people.
All those patrons of the arts must have voted in The Picayune Magazine and KBEY 103.9 FM Radio Picayune’s 2024 Locals Love Us contest because “Gifts of Christmas” was chosen as Favorite Theater Production in the Burnet area.
Crim chalks it up to emotional impact.
“It inspires,” she said about the production. “It brings people to tears. You cry, you laugh. Our tiniest dancers are in there, too, and they always make you smile.”