In a year marked by familiar events presented in new ways, WSBE Rhode Island PBS offers one of Newport's most cherished holiday traditions with a twist. Through Her Eyes – A Newport Nutcracker Reimagined shares the warmth, joy, and hope at the heart of the unique holiday tale.
Presented by the Island Moving Company (IMC) and co-produced with Rhode Island PBS, the film premieres on Friday, December 18 at 8 p.m. on WSBE Rhode Island PBS, digital 36.1.
Through Her Eyes - A Newport Nutcracker Reimagined follows a young girl’s magical international journey of discovery and self-empowerment, set to Tchaikovsky's iconic score.
The original site-specific performance represented a unique re-telling of the holiday classic, designed as an interactive experience that moved through the rooms of Rosecliff, one of Newport’s most romantic mansions. Over its 18-year history, the performance became the "must see" local holiday favorite.
This year, with in-person performance limited due to the pandemic, the traditional ballet has been reimagined as a 30-minute feature, filmed at six historic properties of the Preservation Society of Newport County.
For this film project, renowned dance filmmaker Marta Renzi directed the film in collaboration with cinematographer Jon Gourlay. Story adaptation, choreography, and staging were designed and directed by Miki Ohlsen, IMC’s artistic director, and Danielle Genest, associate artistic director.
After the December 18 premiere on WSBE-TV, Through Her Eyes - A Newport Nutcracker Reimagined encores on Sunday, December 20 at 7 p.m., and Christmas Day at 8 p.m.
WSBE Rhode Island PBS transmits over the air on digital 36.1; Cox 08 / 1008HD, Verizon FiOS 08 / 508HD, and Full Channel 08; Comcast 819HD and Verizon FiOS 18 / 518HD in MA; DirecTV 36, Dish Network 36.