The Ultimate Holiday Tradition

A chat with Houston Ballet's charming Nutcracker Prince

Each December, without fail, Houston audiences are treated to the visual spectacle that is Houston Ballet's production of The Nutcracker.

$\u200bHouston Ballet principal Skylar Campbell in Rubies.$

Photo by Lawrence Elizabeth Knox, courtesy of Houston Ballet

Houston Ballet principal Skylar Campbell in Rubies.

Set to Tchaikovsky's iconic score and using artistic director Stanton Welch's concept and choreography since 2016, The Nutcracker dazzles more than 70,000 patrons each year.

The opulent staging transports the audience from Clara's Victorian home to the magical Land of Sweets, as one Christmas night the little girl receives an enchanted nutcracker doll from her Uncle Drosselmeyer.

Nearly every member of Houston Ballet participates, with the cast rounded out by hundreds of young dancers from the community and Houston Ballet Academy.

Making his Nutcracker debut this year is principal dancer Skylar Campbell, who joined Houston Ballet in 2022 but was sidelined by injury last holiday season.

He recently sat down with CultureMap to discuss his dual roles of Drosselmeyer and the Nutcracker Prince in the ballet, which runs November 24-December 27 at Wortham Theater Center.

CultureMap: How does Stanton Welch’s version of The Nutcracker differ from other iterations?

Skylar Campbell: Stanton’s version pushes the boundaries of what you think of a typical Nutcracker. The sheer amount of costume changes that the majority of the company has to do is unparalleled to others [editor's note: Tim Goodchild designed costumes for 45 mortal characters and 237 fantasy characters]. It's definitely not easy for the dancers either, but it's rewarding in the sense that it creates a spectacle and magical experience for audiences.

CM: Tell us about the roles you're dancing.

SC: This is my first time playing Drosselmeyer and I've had a lot of fun learning it with the rehearsal directors, some of whom have done the role before themselves. I've been given a lot of great info.

Approaching Drosselmeyer, I envision myself as a enigmatic, globe-trotting magician. With a knack for inspiring awe and enchantment, he aims to bring a touch of beauty and wonder to the world with his magical talents and mystique. I'm definitely not trying to be a mean old man who’s bitter about Christmas, or like a Scrooge-type figure.

This is new for me to play a character who’s older in age! But I think he's here to bring mystery and light and really change the energy of the show. When he first enters, he's surrounded by a lot of jubilance and then he balances that with a different tone. That excites people and draws them in — it's up to the audience to decide whether he actually changes the world or if Clara is just dreaming. It's exciting to think about him that way.

CM: And the Nutcracker Prince?

SC: The Prince for me is more of this regal and imaginative character, a free-spirited figure in the story who's in search of love and happiness and joy and dance.

Drosselmeyer is a real person and has more of a journey, while the Prince is the imagination of the Nutcracker (who he turns into when he and Clara travel to the Land of Sweets).

It's not uncommon for Drosselmeyers to also dance the Prince in this production, and it's interesting to see that a lot of their steps are the same, just on different sides. Stanton has them both dancing together at the end of Act I and into Act II, so it's been fun learning both parts.

CM: What is your favorite part about being in The Nutcracker?

SC: This is my first time dancing a new production after doing The Nutcracker in Canada [Campbell was with the National Ballet of Canada from 2009-2021], and it's refreshing and exciting to take on a new-to-me interpretation of a holiday classic.

Since it comes around every year, it really gives us unique opportunities to play and explore — it never gets old.

CM: Why do you think the audience returns year after year?

SC: I'm always surprised with the amount of characters there are in this ballet! There are so many things to look at that you can come back two or three times and will always see something new.

I always like to remind myself that at The Nutcracker there is always going to be someone who’s seeing ballet for the first time. It's something that I remember seeing as a kid too, and those first memories really stick with you. So we try to remember that each performance is inspiring a new generation of audience members and dance-goers, and as company members and professional dancers, we respect that and still take it seriously.

---

Houston Ballet's The Nutcracker runs at the Wortham Theater Center from November 24-December 27. Tickets start at $30, and can be purchased by calling 713-227-2787 or visiting the website.

dance holidays families interview promoted q&a

welcome to houston

Musical theater veteran joins prominent Houston company

Courtesy of Stages

Stages has named Valerie Rachelle as its new associate artist director.

A Houston theater company is adding an accomplished artist to its ranks. Stages announced that Valerie Rachelle will be the company’s new associate artistic director beginning in January 2026.

For more than a decade, Rachelle has been artistic director of the Oregon Cabaret Theatre in Ashland, Oregon, where she oversaw artistic vision and operations. That theater specializes in musical theater performances offered in a cabaret setting.

Rachelle comes to Houston with a career spanning nearly 30 years as a director and choreographer. She has extensive experience in developing new musicals and plays for regional theaters and opera companies across the United States, including the Tony Award-winning Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the Utah Shakespeare Festival, and Sierra Repertory Theatre. She was appointed to her position at Stages following a nationwide search.

“I’m beyond thankful for this opportunity to join this incredible company, and I’m excited to be a part of a creative entity that has a strong mission and vision as Stages,” Rachelle said in a statement.

In her role with Stages, she will support artistic director Derek Charles Livingston with season planning and casting; liaise with artists, press, and staff; and coordinate day-to-day operations for the artistic department. She will also assist with crafting educational materials, direct and choreograph productions, and serve as the primary liaison with theatrical unions.

“We are thrilled to welcome Valerie to Stages in this role,” said Livingston. “I have seen her work as a director and director choreographer — she's excellent. Those skills combined with her experience as a theatre artistic director and manager only further fortify Stages' commitment to artistic excellence and community engagement.”

Born and raised in Eugene, Oregon, Rachelle began her career as a dancer and apprentice ballerina with the Eugene Ballet Company before earning her BFA in acting from California Institute of the Arts. She received her MFA in Directing from the University of California, Irvine. She has held teaching and directing positions at numerous institutions, including the University of Southern California, Southern Oregon University, Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts, and others. She has also served as a mentor through Statera Arts, an organization dedicated to gender equity in the arts.

Rachelle teaches musical theater, auditioning, and singing at Southern Oregon University when she isn’t on the road as a freelance director and choreographer. She’s also a classically trained singer and toured the world with her parents and their illusionist show as a child.

“Joining the team that has a long-standing reputation of excellence in theater is an honor,” Rachelle added.

performing-arts stages theater