Children’s Cast FAQs

Be sure to pay the audition fee and complete the form before the day of the audition.

Children should arrive no more than 15 minutes prior to their audition time.

All Children will be measured to get their exact height before the audition.

Each child auditioning will be assigned an audition number at check in.

Only water is allowed in the audition studio.

Children will be directed to a waiting area until their audition starts.

Children should sit quietly in the waiting area.

After the audition is completed, the children will be released to their parent.

• Yes, there is a small fee, $10.

The results have been sent, if you have not received an email from Sacramento Ballet, please check your spam/junk folders.  If you do not find it, please email nutcracker.info@sacballet.org

An email will be sent from Nutcracker.info@sacballet.org by September 24th. If you do not receive an email by this date, before contacting the Nutcracker Team, please be sure to check your spam/junk folder.

You must accept or decline a role by September 27, 2023. If you do not fill the form out, we will assume you are forfeiting your offer.

A link to the form to accept or decline will be sent in your offer email.

Yes, there is.  Different roles have different fees attached to them.  These fees are incurred to offset the cost of keeping the costumes maintained and cleaned as well as the administrative costs of rehearsing the children.

The fees are as follows:

• Baby Bunny – $100
• Candy Canes – $150
• Cannon Guards – $100
• Clara – $150
• Clouds and Shooting Stars – $100
• Cooks – $100
• Mice – $150
• Mother Ginger Child – $100
• Mushrooms – $100
• Nutcracker – $150
• Party Children – $150
• Soldiers – $150
• Sugar Plum Fairy Attendants – $150

Participation fees will be automatically charged on October 1st to the credit card on file in our system. (When you pay your audition fee, your information is stored in our system). If you need to change the payment method on file please log in to the Parent Portal to do so.

Parent Portal

Once a dancer is cast in a specific role, we are unable to change that role. Please trust that the directors in charge of the production have years of experience, and have cast each dancer in the role which best suits them, and the whole production. Furthermore, the commitment and performance from dancers in each role plays a pivotal part in contributing toward making this a world-class production, from the smallest cloud up to the sugar plum fairy.

Casting Glossary and Info

No. It is common throughout the ballet world for children to play roles of opposite genders or even animals in productions.

• Girls should wear black leotards only, with pink or skin-tone tights and ballet shoes. Boys should wear black shorts or leggings, white t-shirts, and ballet shoes. Children may bring a light jacket or sweater to keep warm.
• For dress rehearsals, children must follow the costume and makeup requirements for their role.

Children should bring a water bottle to each rehearsal. Bags can be brought inside the building but are not allowed in the studio. We recommend that phones, tablets, and computers be left at home.  If children bring these items to the studios, they must be kept in their bags.  Sacramento Ballet is not responsible for personal belongings.  Please be sure to label all personal items brought to the studios.

Most rehearsals are on Saturdays and can be anywhere between 45 minutes and 5 hours depending on the role and how close it is to opening night.

To get an idea of the time commitment, please go to ROLES.

• When you accept a role, you are making a commitment to participate in all scheduled activities, including costume fittings, rehearsals, and performances.
• Anticipated absences should be communicated as soon as possible to the Nutcracker Team. Excessive absences will affect your child’s right to participate.
• Absences will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Nutcracker Artistic Team and they will make the final decision on the child’s participation.
• If your child contracts Covid, please keep them home and email nutcracker.info@sacballet.org immediately.

Yes, the purpose of these rehearsals is for the different roles to interact. If there is a reason to change the schedule, the Nutcracker Team will communicate the change to everyone who is impacted.

Dress rehearsals will be held at the Theater.

Children must follow the costume, hair, and makeup requirements for their role.

Children may bring a bag with ballet shoes, and cover-up clothing. Children may bring phones/tablets or quiet activities such as cards or other games.

No pens, markers, colored pencils, stickers, scissors, or other items that can damage or stain the costumes are allowed backstage at the Theater. Food is not allowed backstage.

On the website:
We are still finalizing the schedule, but it will be added to the website as soon as it is finalized

Roles

Please be sure to check the date and time at the top of each schedule to confirm you have the most current version.

Role leads will also communicate schedule changes to parents.

Parents are invited to volunteer as Role Leads or Rehearsal Assistants. If you are not volunteering, you may stay by the coffee shop, but we respectfully ask that you do not congregate by any of the studios.

No, parents are not allowed to watch the rehearsals in the studio.

Parents may wait quietly in the audience with their children for staging rehearsals; please leave when the children are finished. Parents may not watch in the audience during dress rehearsals, but are welcome to volunteer backstage.

All children under the age of 14 must be escorted by an adult to sign in for auditions and rehearsals. Children under the age of 14 will be released to an adult after the audition and rehearsals.

The theater is in the middle of downtown Sacramento and we take the safety of all of our dancers seriously. All children’s cast members under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult to be dropped off and picked up at the theater.

Please visit this page again as the Nutcracker season progresses. Specific information will be provided at a later date.

Please ask an adult friend or relative to pick up your child. If that is not possible, we will keep your child backstage until after the performance. Please send a quiet activity with your child while they’re waiting, and let us know in advance as well as at check-in so we can account for your child.

Children may bring a bag with ballet shoes, and to store their cover-up clothing. Children may bring phones/tablets or quiet activities such as cards or other games.

No pens, markers, colored pencils, stickers, scissors, or other items that can damage or stain the costumes are allowed backstage at the Theater. Food is not allowed backstage.

Photo Day is when the children dress in their costumes with hair and makeup fixed for their role and take individual and cast photos for their role.

The date will be finalized soon.  Please check back by the beginning of September.

We provide Photo Day as an opportunity to capture memories of your children and their cast in pictures. This is the only permissible means to take pictures of children in costume. Taking photos in the studios, backstage, and during the performance are all prohibited by Sac Ballet policy, copyright law, and union restrictions.

Yes, please visit Tony Nguyen Photography.

The price list for the photos will be issued in October.

Please visit this page again as the Nutcracker season progresses. Specific information will be provided at a later date.

No, taking photos in the studios, backstage, and during the performance are all prohibited by Sac Ballet policy, copyright law, and union restrictions.

• *NEW* Silent Auction Assistants: Help oversee our auction items, solicit in-kind donations, brainstorm and put together packages, and post them on our auction website.
• *NEW* Costume Managers: If you’re detail-oriented and love working with costumes this one’s for you! This role includes collecting, tracking, and managing our beautiful costumes and maintaining a laundry schedule.
• Role Leads: This position oversees other roles and ensure smooth operations. Previous volunteer experience prefered but not necessary!
• Rehearsals: Volunteers in this role will arrive 15 min early to rehearsals, assist with lining up dancers, take attendance, and help with various tasks to support the rehearsal process.
• Performances: Volunteers in this role assist in the dressing rooms and backstage, act as stage runners, and ensure everything runs smoothly during the performances.
• Security: Ensure the safety of dancers by verifying authorized guardians during pick-up after rehearsals and performances.
• Nutcracker Tea: Join the fun and choose from a variety of tasks such as decorating, setting tables, registration and more. This is also a fantastic opportunity for our high school aged dancers to serve as mentors and earn volunteer hours. (Role Leads Needed)
• Cast Party: Help make our cast party a memorable event by assisting with various tasks and activities. (Role Lead Needed)
• Lobby Decoration: If you have a flare for creativity and a passion for making spaces look beautiful, join our team to help decorate our lobby! (Role Lead Needed)
• Clara’s Corner: Retail positions are available to sell Nutcracker and Sac Ballet merchandise. (Role Lead Needed)

If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Nutcracker.info@sacballet.org. Volunteers will be asked to provide their fingerprints for a Department of Justice fingerprint and background check. Sacramento Ballet will be hosting a fingerprint scan event (Date to be determined).

Volunteering for backstage duties is rewarding and fun!  Among the benefits, you will be able to observe how a professional ballet is produced and performed, see all the children’s roles and costumes backstage, and spend quality time with your child in a unique and memorable way.

Additionally, if you volunteer for a role at the Theater–Role Lead, Security, or Backstage Chaperone–you will be compensated with Nutcracker tickets as follows:

• Role Leads: 2 tickets
• Volunteers working performances/runs/dress rehearsals: 1 ticket

Costume Care Reminders