SUGAR HILL The Ellington/Strayhorn Nutcracker, an original production is directed by Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics nominee Joshua Bergasse, with choreography by Jade Hale-Christofi. SUGAR HILL is set to the timeless music of Ellington and Strayhorn and features a libretto and concept by Jessica Swan.
A jazz-steeped retelling of the classic holiday story, SUGAR HILL The Ellington/Strayhorn Nutcracker celebrates the music and magic of the jazz heartbeat of Harlem in Sugar Hill. A tribute to the joy of collaboration, the beauty of diversity, and the power of individuality.
The show features a world-renowned creative team of dance superstars, with additional choreography by Caleb Teicher and Emmy Award nominee Jon Boogz, and dance consultation from Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement recipient, Graciela Daniele, Orchestrations and Arrangements are by Grammy Award®-winner John Clayton and three-time Tony Award® nominee Larry Blank. Casting by Mungioli Theatricals, Inc.
The World Premiere of SUGAR HILL: The Ellington/Strayhorn Nutcracker, the jazz-steeped reimagining of The Nutcracker based on the genre-defying collaboration of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, will debut at New York City Center November 14 through November 26, and in Chicago at Auditorium Theatre from December 19 through December 30.