A Nutcracker: Synopsis

Act 1

Drosselmeyer is in his workshop, building his new Nutcracker Doll as a gift for the annual Staulbaum Christmas party, all of his biggest clients will be there. He is nervous as he knows his ward, Jacob, is always ostracized by the party goers for not exactly fitting in. 

Jacob is in his attic, dreaming of dancing with the stars, his usual escape from the pressures of society. Why can’t I just live in that world, far away from here? Where everyone treats each other with kindness and differences are celebrated. 

Drosselmeyer enters the attic to let Jacob know it is time to go to the Staulbaum’s. Jacob is apprehensive, but excited to show Drosselmeyer his new dolls with whom he’s been idling his time, a life-sized Fairy Doll and Sasquatch Doll. These dolls have become his companions, even if only in his own head, they bring him joy. Embarrassed by the grotesqueness of the Sasquatch, Drosselmeyer forbids Jacob from bringing his Dolls and reminds him of his place in society and how young men are to behave. Jacob demands to bring his dolls and reluctantly Drosselmeyer allows the boy to bring them. 

The festivities are already underway at the Staulbaum party. Guests, wearing their black formalwear, are gathered celebrating the season, staying in line. The gaiety is interrupted when Drosselmeyer arrives to the party. A local celebrity to this crowd, all are enamored by Drosselmeyer’s fluidity, the way he floats around the room. Little do they know, Drosselmeyer struggles constantly internally to stand up for Jacob or to keep face for his clients.

Jacob arrives and is immediately met with disdain. The party goers are fed up with Jacob’s resistance to the culture. His dolls are not what is expected of him and seem frivolous, if not grotesque. Drosselmeyer distracts the guests with his newest creation, the Nutcracker Doll. The epitome of societal norms and standards. He gifts the doll to Clara and she and her friends bully Jacob with it. Jacob breaks the doll and, when confronted, blames Fritz for the breakage. Seeing Fritz get reprimanded for his actions, Jacob confesses. Disappointed, Drosselmeyer fixes the doll, and out of retaliation, Clara and Fritz break Jacob’s dolls. 

With all of the raucous and commotion, Staulbaum invites everyone to the culturally significant dance. Jacob refuses to join and, out of utter disappointment, Drosselmeyer threatens Jacob. 

The room grows cold as the guest disappear leaving Jacob alone in the room with Clara, Fritz, their minions, and only his life-less dolls for protection. At the height of their bullying, Drosselmeyer returns, almost in a trance-like state, and scares the kids away. Knowing he needs to save Jacob from the cruelty of this place, he brings life to Jacob’s friends, the Fairy and Sasquatch Dolls. He now knows where to help him escape. Drosselmeyer splits the large tree and from it grows a mighty forest at the foothills of the Pacific Northwest mountains. Once his magic is complete, Drosselmeyer himself, removes his eyepatch revealing a crystalized eye, almost made of diamonds. Jacob squints his eyes to see exactly, but Drosselmeyer slips behind the tree and disappears into the forest. 

Jacob runs to follow behind Drosselmeyer but he is stopped in his tracks by black shrouded characters emerging from the darkness. With a pop, these faceless figures begin to swirl and surround the three, trapping them in the rip tide of their currents floating across the floor. A giant Nutcracker Doll, the demons leader, comes out and pushes the three around and back into the whirl of the demons. In a final plight to escape into the trees, Jacob and the Fairy Doll make it around the demons to the safety of the forest. Unfortunately the Sasquatch is trapped by the demon and they inhale his body into their own. Content with their sacrifice, The Nutcracker and Demons leave to conquer another night. 

Jacob emerges from the forest into a glen, with a gentle falling rain. Alone and scared, yet hopeful, the structure of his former self has washed away to a more truer version of himself. His dancing through the rain is jolted to a stop with the entrance of a beautiful queen regent. She is the Rain Queen and, with her crystalized eye, she beckons her Raindrops to dance amok through out the edge of the forest. Swirling Jacob to and fro, the Rain Queen instructs her Raindrops to carry Jacob on to the Island of Winter Stars. Jacob starts to go but hesitates, he recognizes the crystal eye, and trusting himself, thanks Drosselmeyer for creating this wonderful world for him to live in. 

Act 2

On the Island of Winter Stars, the local gnomes are desperately preparing for the arrival of Estella, the Great North Star and her Constellation of stars. Jacob and Winterberry, the Fairy Doll’s new form, surprise them and, always a funny little lot, they immediately go from frightful to overly jubilant. They welcome the two and invite them to the festivities. Excited to get the chance to dance among the stars, Jacob is ecstatic. The gnomes check the guest list and get the party started with a dance of their own. 

The gnomes take Winterberry and Jacob off to show them the island, but Jacob hears a soft crunch off in the distance and stays back, hiding behind a tree. To his surprise, a glowing unicorn comes out of the wood. He watches her dance from afar. The unicorn is followed by other creatures of the Pacific Northwest island, twirling chanterelles mushrooms, a rushing river full of salmon darting upstream, forest fairies and their entourage of pixies, the Lady Rhododendron and her little helpers scooting along the forest floor.

At last Estella arrives. Aloof at first to him, his exuberance is overwhelming and she invites him to dance with them. Their dance culminates in a celebratory moment with all of the island dwellers. Estella gifts Jacob a piece of her star, reminding him that he will always have his own light inside of him. As quickly as they all arrived, the characters melt away and Jacob is again left alone back at the Staulbaum’s house. He mourns the loss of his new friends, but feels something in his pocket. It is the star from Estella. It was all real. He turns to see his new friends, happy, and Jacob goes on with his new found light and pride, believing in himself.