Tchaikovsky’s Score.
Hip Hop Dance.
NYC Style.
About the show
A holiday mash-up for the whole family, The Hip Hop Nutcracker returns for another spectacular tour. Directed and choreographed by Tony and Olivier Award-nominated Jennifer Weber, this contemporary dance spectacle is a re-mixed and re-imagined version of the classic, smashing hip-hop dance and Tchaikovsky’s timeless music together into a heart-stirring and inspirational holiday event.
The Hip Hop Nutcracker is brought to life by a powerhouse cast of a dozen all-star dancers, a DJ, a violinist, and MC Kurtis Blow, one of hip hop’s founding fathers, who opens the show with a short set.
Just like the original, in The Hip Hop Nutcracker, Maria-Clara and the Nutcracker Prince go on a dream adventure battling a gang of mice, visiting the land of sweets and learning the lessons of the holiday season.
Innovative digital graffiti and visuals transform the landscape of E.T.A. Hoffmann’s beloved story from traditional 19th Century Germany to the vibrant, diverse sights and sounds of contemporary New York City.
Grab your family and friends and let the dynamic performers of The Hip Hop Nutcracker take you on a journey that celebrates love, community and the magic of the holiday season.
2024 Tour Dates
Nov 8
Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts
Cerritos, CA
Nov 12
Washington Center
Olympia, WA
Nov 13
Mount Baker Theatre
Bellingham, WA
Nov 14 - 15
Keller Auditorium
Portland, OR
Nov 20
Kauffman Center
Kansas City, MO
Nov 22
Uihlein Hall
Milwaukee, WI
Nov 24
Palace Theatre
Columbus, OH
Nov 26
Des Moines Civic Center
Des Moines, IA
Nov 29
Mahalia Jackson Theater
New Orleans, LA
Nov 30
Smart Financial Centre
Sugarland, TX
Dec 1
The Aztec Theatre
San Antonio, TX
Dec 3
Brown Theatre
Louisville, KY
Dec 4
Connor Palace
Cleveland, OH
Dec 6
Lowell Memorial Auditorium
Lowell, MA
Dec 7
The Palace Theatre
Stamford, CT
Dec 8
NJPAC
Newark, NJ
Dec 10 - 15
CIBC Theatre
Chicago, Il
Dec 17
Benedum Center
Pittsburgh, PA
Dec 20 - 22
The National Theatre
Washington DC
Dec 28 - Dec 29
DPAC
Durham, NC
Meet the Team
Jennifer Weber
(Director, Choreographer) Broadway/West End: & Juliet (Olivier & Tony Nominations, Best Choreography); Broadway/Off-Broadway KPOP (Tony Nomination, Best Choreography), Teenage Dick (The Public), Cruel Intentions (LPR/US Tour). Film: Disney Zombies 2, While You Were Gone (Emmy, Win, short-form entertainment) Commissions: Tulsa Ballet, LA Music Center, Baryshnikov Arts Center, NY City Center. Weber is the co-creator, director, and choreographer of The Hip Hop Nutcracker, featuring rap legend Kurtis Blow, touring annually across the U.S. and recorded for an Emmy-winning PBS All Arts special. In 2022, she collaborated with Disney as Executive Producer/ Choreographer on a new film version of The Hip Hop Nutcracker for Disney+.
@jenniferwebernyc
RANDI "RASCAL" FREITAS
(Associate Choreographer) Randi "Rascal" Freitas is a versatile dancer, choreographer, and educator based in Los Angeles, CA. With a valued presence in both the industry and community, Randi's talent is influential and sought after in multiple arenas within the dance world. Randi has performed with Justin Timberlake, SZA, Travis Scott, Karol G and Kaytranada, and danced in commercials for AT&T, Toyota and Target. She has performed on The Ellen Show, The American Music Awards, The Kid's Choice Awards, The Grammy's and more. Randi toured the nation as Associate Director/Choreographer of the "The Hip Hop Nutcracker", and can be seen in "Spirited", Apple's musical starring Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds. In the underground scene Randi was not only the 2021 RedBull BC One Boston Winner, but also a RedBull BC One US National Finalist. Recently she placed as a Bronze Metalist in both the Arizona and Los Angeles Olympic Qualifiers. As an educator, Randi taught Hip Hop at USC and CalArts, has taught throughout the US and internationally. In addition to her work in the industry, community, and institution, she is currently in partnership with NIKE as a consultant for specialty shoe building. Randi most recently is the Founder of OMEGA Flow Floorwork, a training program, company, and curriculum for dancers worldwide. While her training program is not exclusive to womxn, it stands as a space of integrity for them to learn and grow.
MIKE FITELSON
(Writer/Co-Creator) is the executive producer at the United Palace, the 91-year-old Wonder Theatre in Washington Heights, Manhattan’s 4th largest theatre. In 2014 as the executive director of the nonprofit United Palace of Cultural Arts (UPCA) he co-created The Hip Hop Nutcracker with Jennifer Weber, adapting the story and supplying the images for the scenery, and produced its premiere. Fitelson has worked to build the Northern Manhattan arts community for 18 years. He co-founded the annual arts festival, the Uptown Arts Stroll, in 2003; served in every capacity of the Manhattan Times, the bilingual community newspaper of Washington Heights and Inwood, from 2002-2011; and helped found the nonprofit Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance in 2006. He is thrilled the show is returning to the Paramount Theatre in his hometown of Oakland, CA, where he watched his first Nutcracker in the early 1980s.
KATY FREEMAN
(Costume Designer) Katy started her journey with Hip Hop Nutcracker in 2021 as wardrobe supervisor and is thrilled to be back with the crew as costume designer. She serves as the Costume Director for The Dance Theatre of Harlem. Her costumes have been seen on stages across the US & internationally including, New York City Center, Kennedy Center & Lincoln Center. Noted collaborations have been with Christopher Wheeldon, William Forsyth and Virgina Johnson. George Balanchine’s “Allegro Brillante” is her most recent design for the company. She studied costume design at SUNY Purchase and has a costume studio in Brooklyn where she designs and creates custom one of a kind looks for nightlife personalities, burlesque and drag performers. Her designs can be seen often on RuPaul’s Drag Race.
BRANDON STIRLING BAKER
(Lighting Designer) is an award-winning lighting designer working internationally in the areas of dance, opera, and theater. His work can be seen on stages throughout the US and abroad including Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, Hollywood Bowl, Walt Disney Concert Hall, New York City Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Australian Ballet, Hong Kong Ballet, American Ballet Theater, Opera Philadelphia, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Miami City Ballet, Boston Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Houston Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Dutch National Ballet, Semperoper Dresden, Staatsballett Berlin and many others. Since 2010, Baker has designed over 30 world premieres for choreographer Justin Peck. Additional collaborations include new works by Savion Glover, Sufjan Stevens, William Forsythe, Jamar Roberts, Lauren Lovette, Anthony Roth Costanzo, and many others. Baker is the resident lighting designer of Boston Ballet and recipient of the Knight of Illumination Award.
www.stirlingbaker.com
HANA S. KIM
(Projection Designer) Broadway: The Old Man And The Pool (Lincoln Center), Summer 1976 (MTC) Off-Broadway/New York: The Harder They Come (The Public Theater) The Visitor (The Public Theater, Lucile Lortel Nom), Eve's Song (The Public Theater), Everything Rises (BAM), Magdalene (Prototype Festival) New music/opera: L’Orfeo (Santa Fe Opera), Sweet Land (The Industry), The Anonymous Lover (LA Opera) Regional: Geffen Playhouse, OSF, South Coast Rep, Magic Theatre, A.C.T, among others. Awards: Princess Grace Award, Sherwood Award from CTG, Helen Hayes Award, LA Drama Critics Circle Distinguished Achievement Award among others.
www.hananow.com
JOHN N. FORTUNATO
(Production Supervisor) is thrilled to be joining the Hip Hop Nutcracker team! Broadway: Mr. Saturday Night, Off-Broadway: Exception To The Rule, National Tour: Cats, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, How The Grinch Stole Christmas: The Musical, Disney's The Lion King, Bat Out of Hell: The Musical and others. Other Credits include Rodgers and Hammerstein: A Broadway Celebration with The Transport Group, Mamma Mia! at Skylight Music Theatre, Productions with Nevada Ballet Theatre, and Syracuse Opera. Thank you to my family for their endless support. Ithaca College Alum.
MEP
(General Manager) is a producing, developing and management company founded by Avram Freedberg, Mary Beth Dale and Eva Price, and is joined by Managing Director/General Manager Carl Flanigan. Select Broadway, Off-Broadway and Touring credits include Titanique (Off-Broadway 2022); What the Constitution Means to Me (National Tour 2021); August Wilson’s Jitney (National Tour 2019-20); Cruel Intentions: The ’90s Musical; Small Mouth Sounds; Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons on Broadway!; The Hip Hop Nutcracker; The Lion; Verso; Black Light, Born for This (LA and Boston); 50 Shades! The Musical; Ivy + Bean The Musical; Voca People; and Colin Quinn: Long Story Short.
maximumcompany.com
Eva Price
(Executive Producer) is an NYCLU/ACLU honoree and a three-time Tony award-winning producer. Her productions have garnered 4 Olivier Awards, 2 Grammy Awards, 2 Emmy Awards, and 19 Tony Awards. Current and upcoming: & Juliet (Broadway); Jagged Little Pill (National Tour); Titanique (Off-Broadway); Mindplay (Geffen Playhouse); A Transparent Musical (Center Theatre Group). Selected credits: Jagged Little Pill; Oklahoma! (Tony Award, Best Musical Revival, National Tour, London); Mr. Saturday Night; Tina – The Tina Turner Musical; What the Constitution Means to Me; Angels in America (Tony Award, Best Play Revival); Dear Evan Hansen (Tony Award, Best Musical); On Your Feet!; Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons on Broadway!; Peter and the Starcatcher; Colin Quinn Long Story Short; Annie; The Merchant of Venice starring Al Pacino; Carrie Fisher’s Wishful Drinking; The Addams Family; as well as solo shows and concerts starring The Temptations & The Four Tops, Kathy Griffin, Lewis Black, and Hershey Felder. Off-Broadway: Sanctuary City (NYTW); Cruel Intentions: The ‘90s Musical (le Poisson Rouge; National Tour); Found; The Lion; and Bess Wohl’s critically acclaimed Small Mouth Sounds. International/Touring: The Hip Hop Nutcracker (Emmy Award for PBS Special Live Capture); The Magic School Bus, Live!: The Climate Challenge; Ella, a bio-musical about the life and music of Ella Fitzgerald. For five years Eva worked as an assignment editor and coordinating producer for special projects at ABC News, spending her last year producing and reporting on stories relating to Broadway for ABCNEWS.COM.
Join Us!
Casting for Hip Hop Nutcracker’s 2024 season is an ongoing process. If you would like to be considered to be a member of our company, including an onstage violinist position, please fill out the below form and include your name, email address, and a Google Drive link to your headshot and resume. Thank you so much for supporting us. We wish you a wonderful 2024!