Thursday, December 17, 2015

'The Shell-Shocked Nut' returns to La MaMa



Words and photos by EVG contributor Stacie Joy

For the second year, I had a chance to get a sneak peek at the East Village Dance Project’s annual performance of "The Shell-Shocked Nut" (an alternative take on "The Nutcracker") at La MaMa.









Conceived and directed by Martha Tornay, and co-directed by Victoria Roberts-Wierzbowski, the all-ages production opens tonight and runs through Sunday, Dec. 20. The story features local spots like Tompkins Square Park, community gardens, and Economy Candy, and has bad guys like an unnamed real-estate developer. There’s even a live rock band during the CBGB’s ghost portion of the performance.









The East Village Dance Project, located at 55 Avenue C , offers classes to all, regardless of income, and has a scholarship program named after Charlotte Ruby Cantor, a young student of Martha’s who died at an early age in 1999. Her family developed the scholarship to support local young people whose families cannot afford the expense of dance classes.

Tickets — which help support the scholarship fund, and are subject to 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit status — and additional information can be found here.

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