A Producer Attempts to Pitch The Nutcracker (A production office. PRODUCER 1 sits at a desk. Enter PRODUCER 2.) PRODUCER 1: Take a seat. You said you have something Christmassy for me? PRODUCER 2: Strap in, buddy. This one’s gonna be a doozy. PRODUCER 1: Ha! Can’t wait. PRODUCER 2: Okay, so: Curtain up. It’s Christmas Eve. A young girl named Clara is opening gifts. One happens to be from …

The Revolutionary Sound at the Heart of ‘The Nutcracker’ Listen to how Tchaikovsky uses the celesta in “The Nutcracker,” unleashing the potential of the instrument to signal playfulness and fantasy.