The Newtown Centre of Classical Ballet & Voice (NCCB) will present its annual performances of The Nutcracker Suite as part of the annual Holiday Festival supporting Newtown Youth and Family Services.

Shows are set for Sunday, December 8, at noon and 2:30 pm, at Edmond Town Hall, 45 Main Street.

Tickets can be purchased as part of the larger Holiday Festival package — $38 adults, $35 senior citizens, or $25 children, which includes entry to all related events that day — or separately for $20 online or at the door. Visit newtownyouthandfamilyservices.org for tickets and further info.

Notable roles this season include Clara being played by Newtown High School freshman Kailyn Lahey, Snow Queen played by Newtown High School senior Kate Hugo, Spanish Queen by Newtown senior Penelope Suchar, Russian Queen by Pomperaug High School senior Emma Kate Yamanaka, Ribbon Candy Queen played by Newtown High School senior Sydney Bruno, Dew Drop Fairy played by Newtown High School senior Lillian Caico, and Sugar Plum Fairy played by Newtown High School senior Molly Tinkler.

Students from all levels of the ballet school’s program participate in putting on the show. The youngest dancers (3-4 years old) play the reindeer that lead Clara’s sleigh into the Land of the Sweets. The 5-6 years old participate as the angels who greet Clara upon her arrival, led by Sugar Plum Fairy.

Other parts of interest include the intermediate dancers participating as ribbon candy and ginger clowns this year. The dance and voice studio is using new iridescent hula hoops for the ginger clown scene.

NCCB Director Tory Gozzi said it has been fun for her students “learning new ways of dancing with the hoops and adding to the colorful props for the Act 2 celebration upon Clara’s arrival.”

This show has been in existence since the Holiday Festival started almost forty years ago. Newtown resident Marsha Ismailoff Mark coupled her creation of Malenkee Ballet Repertoire Company with the mission of being the studio’s primary means of community outreach via performances throughout the school year at festivals, fundraisers, nursing homes, elementary schools, and more.

Jennifer Johnston, a former student and assistant to Mark until the latter’s retirement, opened Newtown Centre of Classical Ballet in 2001. Gozzi took over NCCB from Johnston, her mentor, in 2013.

Mark’s vision of bringing arts education and the joy of ballet and music to residents of all ages is still a vital part of what NCCB is as a school, according to Gozzi. Dancers ages 10 and up commit to extra rehearsals weekly to put on four unique performances per year, including one production completely self-run by the students each spring to train the next generation of innovators in the arts.

After the Nutcracker performances, Gozzi shared, company members will visit Bethel Health Care, Cascades Assisted Living, and Maplewood at Newtown to present performance clips for residents there, as well as caroling by the school’s voice students.