The Tupelo Ballet Company performed ‘The Nutcracker’ under the artistic director, Sharon Long; at the THS Performing Arts Center on December 3, 2016 at two times: 2:00 P.M. and 7:00 P.M.

I have never seen a ballet performance of ‘The Nutcracker,’ so I decided to watch it at the 2:00 P.M. time, just to see what it is like. From what I heard, this is their 34th time to perform this ballet, so that made me want to watch it more.

When I first went to the PAC, I did not expect the whole room to be as full as it was. There were SO many people! People were walking around, greeting each other, and taking photos together. Meanwhile, I was trying to buy my ticket. The cost of the tickets took me by surprise; it was $15 for students, $30 for adults, and $20 for senior citizens who are 65 and older.

After I paid for my ticket, I headed towards the auditorium to find a seat, but I could not find any, because nearly every single seat was taken except a few on the last row at the top. So I had no choice but to sit there. I did not really mind where I sat because I still got a great view of the stage.

When the show finally started, there was this beautiful, authentic sound that filled the room with ambience. Since I was on the last row, which was higher than the seats up front, I saw Steven Byess, the conductor of The North Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, and I realized where the sound had come from.

While the orchestra was sitting down and playing live, his tall figure was standing in the pit. I was amazed at how well the music was in sync with the boys and girls that were telling the story through dance.

There were Christmas colors everywhere, and the background setting behind the cast vividly explained what was going on. In my head, I knew that the price for this ballet was definitely worth it.

There were so many detailed things about the play that I really enjoyed. Long and the Tupelo Ballet truly did a fantastic job of delivering an eye-catching holiday performance to the community; that has not only caught my attention, but others’ as well. It is no wonder this has been going on for years, and I am sure there will definitely be more to come.