Photo by Erin Baiano of Isabella LaFreniere

North America’s Longest Running Production of The Nutcracker

TOLEDO, OH – This December, Live Arts Toledo proudly presents the 85th annual production of The Nutcracker, the longest-running production of the beloved holiday ballet in North America. Performances run December 12–14, 2025 at The Stranahan Theater and is presented by Fifth Third Bank.

First staged in Toledo in 1941, The Nutcracker has become one of the region’s most cherished holiday traditions. More than eight decades later, the production continues to bring together students, families, professional artists, and community guests in celebration of imagination and holiday magic.

A Legacy 85 Years in the Making

The history of Toledo Ballet’s Nutcracker is inseparable from the vision of its founder, Marie Bollinger Vogt, who first gathered twelve young dancers in 1939 to stage excerpts of the ballet at the Toledo Museum of Art’s Hemicycle Theatre (space that the Canaday Gallery occupies today). Sponsored by the Monday Musicale Society, that first performance was small in scale but expansive in imagination.

As Vogt recalled in a 2015 interview: “That first performance of Nutcracker was very limited. We weren’t able to get more of the score from Russia. I was young, and the dancers were young. It was mostly the first scene and divertissement.”

The production saw its first full staging in 1941. In successive years, it migrated to Toledo’s larger stages—the Peristyle, the Paramount Theatre, the Rivoli, the State, and ultimately The Stranahan—becoming a fixture of Toledo’s cultural fabric.

By 1949, Vogt had forged a formative partnership with the Toledo Symphony, foreshadowing the organizations’ ultimate merger 70 years later. She remembered its beginnings vividly: “A fine conductor from Germany came to Toledo, Wolfgang Stresemann. He said to me, ‘Marie, you and I have to be partners. We have to have ballet and the symphony as well.’”

She continues, “That led to our first performance at the beautiful Peristyle. There were blue screens across the stage of the Peristyle. The orchestra would sit behind the screens and play, and the dancers would dance in front of the screens. Wolfgang would mount a little ladder and, from behind the screens, conduct as he watched us dance.”

The Nutcracker was not simply a production to “Madame” Vogt. It was an extension of her life’s work, her artistic family, and her ongoing legacy. “I absolutely love The Nutcracker,” she remarked in 2001. “It is part of my life’s blood. I look for the development of the dancers. I look for the joy in the audience. The children I have taught have grown up and are now bringing their own children to the shows. My dancing family and I will not be separated.”

Carrying the Tradition Forward

Eighty-five years on, Marie Vogt’s legacy continues through the artists who now shape the production. Each brings a contemporary perspective while honoring the spirit she established: a blend of rigor, imagination, and community that remains the hallmark of Toledo Ballet.

“Each season, The Nutcracker asks us to rediscover wonder, but this year carries extra resonance,” observes Eric Otto, Toledo Ballet’s Artistic Director. “Eighty-five years of dancers, parents, teachers, and musicians have poured their hearts into this production, and you can feel that legacy in every rehearsal. Our students know they are stepping into something so much larger than themselves, and they rise to it with extraordinary dedication.”

For Live Arts Toledo’s President & CEO, Zak Vassar, the continuity between past and present is unmistakable. “When Marie Vogt began working on The Nutcracker in 1939, she wasn’t just creating a performance, she was helping to shape a national tradition,” he says. “What we now consider a quintessential American holiday ritual began, in part, right here in Toledo. This anniversary reminds us that Toledo Ballet hasn’t just taken part in an American tradition, it helped define one.”

This year’s production connects this tradition with one of Toledo Ballet’s most successful alumna, Isabella LaFreniere, now a principal dancer with New York City Ballet. She will perform the role of Sugar Plum Fairy in the Saturday evening and Sunday matinee performances alongside principal dancer Ryan Tomash.

LaFreniere’s return underscores the impact of Toledo Ballet’s training across decades: “Toledo Ballet’s Nutcracker holds a special place in my heart because it was the first production of The Nutcracker that I saw, and it’s also the first Nutcracker that I performed in. I can’t wait to return to Toledo, watch the younger generation of dancers, and spread holiday joy.”

The orchestra pit will welcome its own ballet royalty, with the addition of conductor Jonathan McPhee. Music Director of Boston Ballet for 28 seasons, he remains one of the nation’s foremost ballet conductors. While this is his first Nutcracker in Toledo, he led the orchestra in Toledo Ballet’s productions of Prokofiev’s Cinderella (2023) and Tchaikovsky’s The Sleeping Beauty (2024).

Based on his previous visits to Toledo, McPhee observed something remarkable in Live Arts Toledo’s marriage of dancers and orchestra. “This organization is the only one in the country who offers young ballet dancers the opportunity to learn their craft the way it was meant to be, with live music by a top-notch professional orchestra. No recording can build phrasing and understanding of how to move to these great musical masterpieces.”

Together, these talents—national artists, local leaders, alumni, and the next generation—affirm what Marie Vogt established 85 years ago: that The Nutcracker is not merely a holiday tradition, but a living, evolving expression of community, beauty, and imagination.

Otto agrees: “Watching this cast bring Marie Vogt’s vision forward, in partnership with our incredible orchestra, guest artists, and Toledo Ballet’s own company dancers Liza van Heerden, David Claypoole, and Rachel Aron, is profoundly moving. This anniversary is not just a celebration of the ballet’s history, it’s a celebration of the community that has kept it alive.”

Special Guest Mother Ginger Appearances (Biographies Below)

Continuing a beloved Toledo Ballet tradition, this year’s production features a distinguished group of community leaders and performers in the whimsical role of Mother Ginger in Act II. Each brings their own spirit, humor, and heart to the stage, adding a uniquely local touch to this holiday classic.

• Friday, December 12, 10:30am (Student Performance): Terrance D. Crosby
• Friday, December 12, 7:00pm: Michael DeBacker
• Saturday, December 13, 2:00pm: Marc Folk
• Saturday, December 13, 7:00pm: Eric Hillenbrand
• Sunday, December 14, 2:00pm: Billy Mann

Performance Details

• Presented by Fifth Third Bank
• Support for this performance provided by North Star BlueScope Steel
• Location: The Stranahan Theater, 4645 Heatherdowns Blvd., Toledo, OH 43614
• Box Office: 419-246-8000
• Tickets available at liveartstoledo.com/nutcracker

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About Isabella LaFrenier
Isabella LaFreniere is a Principal Dancer with New York City Ballet, known for her powerful stage presence and dramatic range. A native of Lambertville, Michigan, she began her early training at Toledo Ballet and the Northeast Academy of Dance, where she performed in her first Nutcracker. She later studied with Anna Reznik and Alexei Kremnev, the Joffrey Academy of Dance, and the School of American Ballet, where she trained on full scholarship and received the Mae L. Wien Award for outstanding promise.

LaFreniere joined New York City Ballet as an apprentice in 2013, became a member of the corps in 2014, and rose to Principal Dancer in 2023. She has performed leading roles in works by Balanchine, Robbins, Martins, and Wheeldon, and has originated roles in new ballets by Justin Peck, Jamar Roberts, Sidra Bell, Pam Tanowitz, and other leading choreographers.

About Ryan Tomash
Ryan Tomash was born in Toronto and trained at Canada’s National Ballet School. He joined the Royal Danish Ballet in 2017, becoming a Principal Dancer in 2022. During his time at the Royal Danish Ballet, Ryan has performed in numerous works by choreographers August Bournonville, George Balanchine, Marius Petipa, John Neumeier, Sharon Eyal, Paul Lightfoot, to name a few. In 2025, he joined New York City Ballet. Ryan has performed internationally with companies including the Hamburg Ballet and Ballet Estable del Teatro Argentino.

A graduate of the Royal Danish Ballet’s Koreorama choreography course, he continues to create original works. His honors include the Reumert Award for Best Dancer (2025), Positano Premia la Danza (2023), and a Knighthood from the Queen of Denmark for his contributions to the arts.

About Jonathan McPhee
Jonathan McPhee is one of America’s most respected and versatile conductors, known for his exceptional work across ballet, opera, and symphonic repertoire. Best recognized for his 28 years as Music Director of Boston Ballet, he has conducted hundreds of performances of The Nutcracker and is regarded as one of the foremost ballet conductors in the country.

A graduate of the Juilliard School and Tanglewood, McPhee has collaborated with leading choreographers including Balanchine, Robbins, MacMillan, Tharp, Forsythe, and Wheeldon, and has conducted major companies such as New York City Ballet, Royal Danish Ballet, National Ballet of Canada, Houston Ballet, and the London Symphony Orchestra. His acclaimed recordings, arrangements, and editions—including La Bayadère and The Sleeping Beauty—are performed worldwide.

Mother Ginger Biographies:

• Terrance D. Crosby is a respected Toledo figure, former NBA player with the Kansas City Kings, and one of the city’s most celebrated two-sport athletes. A dedicated community ambassador, he now serves as a Corporate Ambassador for the Taylor Automotive Family and sits on multiple local boards. He is a proud father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.
• Michael DeBacker is a family medicine physician in southeast Michigan and a lifelong Nutcracker His first Nutcracker role was a Ginger Snap at age eight, and he has shared the tradition with his own family ever since. He practices with Trinity Health / IHA and enjoys traveling with his wife and adult children.
• Marc Folk is a nationally recognized arts leader with nearly three decades advancing arts and cultural access in Northwest Ohio. His work with The Arts Commission has earned national honors including the Ohio Governor’s Award for Arts Administration and the Ray Hanley Innovation Award. He serves on multiple boards and is a passionate advocate for creative communities.
• Eric Hillenbrand is a veteran Toledo performer with extensive credits in opera, ballet, and regional theater. He has portrayed Herr Drosselmeyer in The Nutcracker for nineteen seasons with Toledo Ballet, following in the footsteps of his father, Ernst Hillenbrand. A noted developer of historic properties and owner of 20 North Gallery, he has received numerous awards for his contributions to historic preservation and the arts.
• Billy Mann is Senior Director of Development for Boys & Girls Clubs of Toledo and a longtime philanthropic leader. Inducted into Toledo’s 20 Under 40 in 2025, he is deeply committed to community service. A devoted fan of The Nutcracker since childhood, his Mother Ginger performance honors his grandparents and the 4,000 youth served annually by Boys & Girls Clubs of Toledo.

About Toledo Ballet
Founded in 1939 by Marie Bollinger Vogt, Toledo Ballet provides high-quality dance education and exceptional performance opportunities across Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan. With classes ranging from ballet, jazz, contemporary, tap, and Adaptive Dance, the organization serves hundreds of students annually at all ages and ability levels. Over the decades, Toledo Ballet has maintained the longest-running consecutive production of The Nutcracker in North America. Alongside its educational and community mission, Toledo Ballet produces multiple seasonal productions, summer intensives led by world-class guest artists, and outreach offerings that support accessibility and inclusivity in dance.

About The Toledo Symphony Orchestra
The Toledo Symphony Orchestra is a community-supported organization of professional musicians and teachers who deliver quality performance and music education for all. Formed in1943 as The Friends of Music and incorporated in 1951 as the Toledo Orchestra Association, Inc., the Toledo Symphony Orchestra (TSO) has grown from a core group of twenty-two part-time musicians to a professional orchestra that employs seventy professional full-time musicians. The Toledo Symphony reaches more than 260,000 individuals annually through performances and education programs. The series concerts (Masterworks, Pops, Chamber, and Family Series) are the critical underpinning of the orchestra’s artistic mission and regularly draw people from 135 postal zip codes. Education programs, student performances, and community concerts are held in schools, neighborhood churches, performing arts centers, and community facilities throughout the region; many are offered at no charge or provided at a reduced fee to help expand participation.

About Live Arts Toledo
Live Arts Toledo, formerly the Toledo Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA), is the region’s hub for live performance, cultural education, and community connection. Bringing together the Toledo Symphony, Toledo Ballet, Toledo Jazz Orchestra, Toledo Symphony School of Music, and Toledo Symphony Youth Orchestras, Live Arts Toledo presents more than 200 nights of programming each year, offering unforgettable experiences that stir the senses and strengthen the cultural fabric of Northwest Ohio.

Media Contact
Emily McCready, Marketing Manager, 419.418.0027, emccready@liveartstoledo.com