BMO Makes New 5-Year Commitment to Presenting “The Nutcracker” with Milwaukee Ballet

MILWAUKEE – BMO today announced a 5-year sponsorship of Milwaukee Ballet’s The Nutcracker: Drosselmeyer’s Imaginarium. The sponsorship gift signals BMO’s ongoing commitment to the Milwaukee community and to creating cherished holiday memories for Wisconsin families. BMO has supported Milwaukee Ballet’s presentation of The Nutcracker since 2013, and considers helping to stage the annual performances a holiday gift to the Milwaukee community.

The Nutcracker is Milwaukee Ballet’s most-attended annual production. This year, a new production – The Nutcracker: Drosselmeyer’s Imaginarium – will spread the magic of the season throughout southeastern Wisconsin and beyond with updated choreography, lavish new costumes, and awe-inspiring sets to make the revamped classic one of Milwaukee Ballet’s grandest debuts. Thanks in part to support from BMO, the production premieres at Marcus Performing Arts Center on December 8, 2023.

“This landmark sponsorship demonstrates BMO’s dedication to making progress for the vibrant arts and culture scene here in Milwaukee, with a production that enchants families each year and spreads holiday cheer across our community,” said Jud Snyder, Senior Executive, Southeast Wisconsin, BMO. “We wanted to not only support the Milwaukee Ballet, but also help bring this unique and magical holiday tradition to life.”

“I am continuously grateful for the support of BMO,” said Milwaukee Ballet Artistic Director Michael Pink. “I want everyone to leave the theater smiling and filled with the joy of the holidays, and BMO’s generosity ensures we will be able to provide that for many holiday seasons ahead.”

This year’s world premiere of The Nutcracker: Drosselmeyer’s Imaginarium marks a change in the Company’s holiday production for the first time in over 20 years. The creative team includes Emmy-nominated costume designer Gregory A. Poplyk, regular Milwaukee Ballet collaborator Todd Edward Ivins, and Emmy Award-winning lighting designer David Grill. 150 new costumes and 57 new set pieces were built for the debut.

Funds for the production were raised through a $5 million Capital Campaign, with money designated towards the design and build, investment income, and community engagement initiatives. The latter includes three student matinees, which provide heavily subsidized tickets to school groups around the city and state, and a Sensory-Friendly performance, which adapts the lighting, music, special effects, and more for those with sensory processing needs.

Milwaukee Ballet School & Academy students will continue to be featured in the holiday tradition. In this inaugural year of The Nutcracker: Drosselmeyer’s Imaginarium, 137 students ranging from age 7-18 are cast across 72 roles.

The production will premiere on December 8, 2023 at Marcus Performing Arts Center with performances running through December 26. To order tickets, and for detailed show dates and times, call 414.902.2103 or visit www.milwaukeeballet.org.

BMO’s sponsorship of The Nutcracker renews the beloved holiday tradition for five more years as the company retires its annual Holiday Display at BMO Tower on Water Street.

For more information on BMO, please visit http://www.bmo.com.

Story Summary 
On Christmas Eve, the Tannenbaum children eagerly await the arrival of their godfather Drosselmeyer, a mysterious toymaker. Upon his arrival, very strange things begin to happen…the Christmas tree grows, toys come to life to battle King Rat, and the children are ushered into the Imaginarium, a place where anyone can imagine anything they wish. There, they embark on a colorful and magical adventure that will leave them wondering if it was all real, or only just their imagination.

Performance Information 

The Nutcracker: Drosselmeyer’s Imaginarium runs December 8-26 at Marcus Performing Arts Center. Tickets start at $44 and are available for purchase via the Milwaukee Ballet Box Office at 414-902-2103 or online at milwaukeeballet.org.
The performance schedule is as follows:

• Friday, December 8, 2023 — 07:30 PM
• Saturday, December 9, 2023 — 02:00 PM
• Saturday, December 9, 2023 — 07:30 PM
• Sunday, December 10, 2023 — 01:00 PM
• Wednesday, December 13, 2023 — 07:00 PM (Sensory-Friendly Performance)
• Friday, December 15, 2023 — 07:30 PM
• Saturday, December 16, 2023 — 02:00 PM
• Saturday, December 16, 2023 — 07:30 PM
• Sunday, December 17, 2023 — 01:00 PM
• Sunday, December 17, 2023 — 06:30 PM
• Thursday, December 21, 2023 — 07:30 PM
• Friday, December 22, 2023 — 07:30 PM
• Saturday, December 23, 2023 — 02:00 PM
• Saturday, December 23, 2023 — 07:30 PM
• Sunday, December 24, 2023 — 01:00 PM
• Tuesday, December 26, 2023 — 01:00 PM

Milwaukee Ballet’s 2023/2024 Season is presented by Donald & Donna Baumgartner with support from United Performing Arts Fund, Wisconsin Arts Board, CAMPAC, Milwaukee Arts Board, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.