2024 Primary Division Student Registration
for “The San Jose Nutcracker”
Enrolled Student Participation Requirements
Students must be currently enrolled in Level Primary A, Primary B, or Primary C, Primary Boys I or Primary Boys II
Students should ideally have 100% availability for all December Rehearsals and Performances. We will cast students in groups, so your student will not be cast in all performances, however it is best if they can be available for all performances and all rehearsals in December. If your student is selected to participate and they miss rehearsal, casting may be changed, even if that absence is excused or unavoidable. Please see specific rehearsal and performance schedules before committing to participate.
If you have one theatre rehearsal conflict and one or two performance conflicts please enter them on your registration form and EMAIL THE DETAILS OF CONFLICT TO SCHOOL@NEWBALLET.COM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. We will let you know if your conflict can be accommodated. If you pay the participation fee and then hear that your conflict cannot be accommodated, resulting in not being preliminarily cast, we will refund the participation fee. One or two additional rehearsal conflicts may be accommodated with approval for rehearsals in October or November. More than three conflicts total may prevent you from being cast.
Conflicts brought to our attention after Preliminary Casting has been posted may result in a student not being able to participate, and in that case we cannot refund the participation fee. Please check with us immediately about any known rehearsal conflicts and we will let you know what might be possible.
Conflicts, even if noted on the conflict form, may affect casting. Absences, even due to illness, injury, or unforeseen circumstances may also affect casting, i.e. students who miss rehearsals whether or not these absences are their fault and whether or not those absences have been listed on their conflict form may be ultimately unable to perform if they have trouble learning or performing the choreography.
The number of shows in which a student ends up performing is based on a number of complex logistics, costumes available, choreography, and the number of students who participate. For Primary Division students, it is likely that students will perform in 4 out of the total 8 full performances.
Preliminary Casting (which role(s) a student is learning) will be emailed to families by September 23. Please note that we may modify Preliminary Casting after the first or second rehearsal.
Performance Casting will be announced by November 1. We are sometimes able to announce Primary Division Performance Casting prior to this date, but please do not purchase tickets to watch your student until Performance Casting is released to ensure you purchase for the correct show(s). Performance Casting CANNOT BE CHANGED by request once announced. We cannot alter casting for other extracurricular activities, family events, performance preferences, etc. Please review schedules carefully before completing the Nutcracker Student Registration Form. “The San Jose Nutcracker” is a large time commitment and we understand that not all families can accommodate this kind of schedule.
Performance Casting may be changed after posting by our staff due to illness, injury or other unforeseen circumstances. In that event the box office will do their best to work with families regarding any purchased tickets. Please continue to keep your schedule clear and your student available for all performance dates, even after Performance Casting is posted.
Students may need to purchase additional shoes, tights, and/or leotards if they are cast, depending on the role. Dewdrop Fairies will need a white or flesh-toned liner leotard.
Roles in “The San Jose Nutcracker”
Students in the following levels will be generally considered for one of the roles listed.
Primary A, B, C and Primary Boys I - Dewdrop Fairies or Frogs. All students may sign up for either role as a first preference, subject to availability. You will be asked on the registration form for your preference.
Students in Primary Boys II and Boys in Primary C will be cast as Party Boys. We encourage them strongly to participate as Party Boys, but these students may opt to be a Frog instead if the Party Boy commitment is too much for them this year. Please email school@newballet.com immediately if you would prefer your Primary Boys II or Primary C boy to be cast as a Frog.
Rehearsals will be scheduled to take place on the days and at the times listed on the webpages linked below. Times and days may change as rehearsals progress. Students should be available for all times listed for roles for which they may be considered in order to commit to participate in “The San Jose Nutcracker.” They should be able to shift rehearsal times on Saturdays and Sundays, October through December, by up to a few hours in case of changes, although these changes are not anticipated.
