Christ Church Nutcracker set for Dec. 11

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This year marks the 26th Annual Christ Church Nutcracker Ballet, which is scheduled for 6 p.m. Dec. 11 at the University of North Florida’s Lazzara Performance Hall.

The showcase is a passion of Felicia Rhoden’s and has been since she started it as part of her creation of the dance ministry at Christ Episcopal Church in Ponte Vedra Beach.

According to her daughter Claire Duffy, the scale of the performance has drastically grown over the years.

It began with about 12 participants in its first year and it was held at the church’s parrish hall, but now has more than 200 local performers, most of which come from Ponte Vedra Beach or the beaches area.

The fact that most of the performers are local has helped make it into a community holiday tradition.

The money raised from the show will go toward benefiting Dreams Come True, Community Hospice, St. Jude Children’s Hospital and an orphanage in Bolivia that is a charity initiative at the church.

Members of those respective organizations will be on hand for the show.

“It’s a great cause,” Duffy said. “It teaches the children not just about dance, but what it means to give back. It reflects the true meaning of the season and makes your heart happy.”

Performers from all ages will take part, including some that are regulars and play a role each year.

According to Duffy, the play has reached the point in its 26th year that past performers are now having children that are set to join in the production, as well as some who are teenagers but have been involved with the play since they were 2 years old.

“It’s a very family-oriented atmosphere,” Duffy said. “It resembles everything that the Ponte Vedra community is all about. This is our show.”

The play has become such a fixture in Rhoden’s life that she continues to do even as she gets older.

“She is in her mid-80s now, but she still goes like the Energizer bunny,” Duffy said. “She puts all of her time and effort into it.”

That includes holding the play last year even after having to push it back to May and having a limited crowd due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“She was determined to have the show,” Duffy said.

Duffy is happy to have this year’s show be back to normal, taking place in December and having availability for a full crowd.

Tickets for the event are still on sale and can be purchased by going to missfeliciasdance.com and clicking the “buy tickets” button. Doors will open at 5 p.m.

The Lazzara Performance Hall is a 1,300-seat facility located at Building 45, Suite 2400 on the UNF campus at 1 UNF Drive in Jacksonville.