Costume theft won’t stop annual Nutcracker production

DESPITE THE theft of Nutcracker costumes, Festival Ballet Providence’s artistic director said the show will go on.
DESPITE THE theft of Nutcracker costumes, Festival Ballet Providence’s artistic director said the show will go on.

PROVIDENCE – Despite the theft of Nutcracker costumes, Festival Ballet Providence’s artistic director said the show will go on.
The costumes were stolen from a Pawtucket warehouse, where they have been kept for more than a decade. The theft was discovered sometime last week. Pawtucket police are investigating and tips can be directed to (401) 727-9100, ext. 758.
According to a news release from Festival Ballet, a “significant number” of costumes were stolen, and the staff is working to find replacements in time for the production’s Dec. 16 opening at the Providence Performing Arts Center.
“We have been dealt a significant blow, but I’m confident that this year’s production will be as magnificent as ever,” Mihailo Djuric, Festival Ballet Providence’s artistic director, said in a statement.

Among the missing items is the costume and mask for The Nutcracker, and hand-made tutus, including one of three tutus for the Sugar Plum Fairy, the ballet’s principal character.
Festival Ballet Providence has put on The Nutcracker for nearly 40 years. It is reaching out to other ballet companies around the country for costumes. It plans to refabricate the stolen items for future seasons.
The value of the stolen items is still being totaled. He said the costumes are made by hand, and a tutu can cost more than $600. Replacement costs for custom-crafted headpieces like The Nutcracker mask are estimated at more than $2,000. Many of the stolen costumes also were embellished with Swarovski crystals.

“This is a terrible loss, especially considering the community tradition we have established with this beloved production,” he said, adding, “but we are pushing ahead and finding creative solutions. The show will go on.”

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