WMUR anchor to perform in ‘Nutcracker’

Friday, November 20, 2009

MANCHESTER – Kria Sakakeeny, weekend evening anchor and weekday reporter for WMUR-TV 9, will perform as Mother Ginger in The Nutcracker at the Palace Theatre on Thanksgiving Weekend.

Bedford-based Southern NH Dance Theater’s production of The Nutcracker is based on the story by E.T.A. Hoffman and music by Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky. To add to the magic of this holiday classic, The Palace Festival Orchestra will once again accompany Southern NH Dance Theater (SNHDT) led by conductor Robert Babb.

Sakakeeny will perform the role in the Saturday, Nov. 28, 11 a.m. performance.

WZID-FM morning DJ Mike Morin will return to the stage as Mother Ginger in two performances – the Friday, Nov. 27 and Saturday, Nov. 28 evening shows.

Although Kria Sakakeeny is no stranger to the artistry and beauty of dance, this will be her first time performing in The Nutcracker. She studied jazz, modern, ballroom and tap in Boston since she was twelve years old.

“I always wanted to try Ballet, but I was born pigeon-toed, so my turn-out was dreadful,: said Sakakeeny. She concentrated on tap and was able to study at the Leon Collins Studio with instructors who were in the movie “Tap” and contemporaries of Gregory Hines. She also took master classes with tap genius Savion Glover. While attending Boston University she co-founded a tap company, BU on Tap which still exists to this day.

“I love supporting the arts, especially here in NH. Dance was a major source of pride and happiness for me as a teen and a young woman as I hope it is for the dancers at Southern NH Dance Theater.”

Performance times are: Friday, Nov. 27, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 28, at 11 a.m., 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, Nov. 29, at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.

For ticket information call the Palace Theatre Box Office at 668-5588 or visit www. palacetheatre.org.