Clara, A Prince, A Fairy And The Mouse King — Take A Bow

The storyline and characters are well known. There is the “Party Scene,” “The Transformation,” “The Battle Scene” and the “Snow Scene.” And that’s just Act I. In your mind’s eye, from your seat inside the Hult Center’s Silva Concert Hall, you might anticipate every move of Clara, the Prince, the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Mouse King with his mischievous army of mice. Add to it the mesmerizing music of Pyotr Tchaikovsky, as performed live by OrchestraNext, and The Nutcracker is a wonderful family-oriented event. Eugene Ballet brings the story to life starting Dec. 21. Is it all a Christmas Eve dream? Are there really dancing characters such as Spanish Chocolate, Arabian Coffee, Chinese Tea and French Marzipan? Let your imagination roam and the magic take you for a ride at any of Eugene Ballet’s seven performances.

Eugene Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker is 7:30 pm Dec. 21, Dec. 22, Dec. 23 and Dec. 26. Matinee performances are 2 pm Dec. 23, Dec. 24 and Dec. 26. All performances are at the Hult Center’s Silva Concert Hall. Tickets are $15 to $65.

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!