Early Christmas presence

Although it may not even be time to thaw the turkey for Thanksgiving dinner, the spirit of Christmas looms large in Cape Girardeau this week, or at least it does at the Show Me Center.

The venue will play host to the Trans-Siberian Orchestra's "Christmas Eve and Other Stories" tonight, the Moscow Ballet's "The Great Russian Nutcracker" on Thursday and the 34th annual Christmas Arts and Crafts Extravaganza on Saturday and Sunday.

"It's a really good week," said Brad Gentry, marketing director for the Show Me Center. "Our numbers are fine for both shows and the crafts show is always a draw."

"Initially there was concern about having two Christmas shows right next to each other, but when we looked at it we saw that the shows have two different demographics," Gentry said. "The Moscow Ballet is more fine arts while Trans-Siberian Orchestra is a rock show."

This is the first time Trans-Siberian Orchestra has performed in Cape Girardeau, but maybe not the last. According to Gentry, there is a good possibility that the Christmas rock opera will return next year. That hinges on whether Trans-Siberian Orchestra is pleased with the turnout for tonight's show.

The Moscow Ballet's "The Great Russian Nutcracker" is already a regular. It has been coming to the Show Me Center since 2002.

Although most audiences are familiar with the perennial holiday story of "The Nutcracker," the Moscow Ballet takes some liberties with the Tchaikovsky classic to introduce a theme of peace.

Rather than the Land of Sweets, the second act of "The Great Russian Nutcracker" takes place in the Land of Peace and Harmony. One dancer portrays a dove.

The Moscow Ballet's "Nutcracker" has other outstanding aspects, said Beth Murdock, publicity director for the ballet.

The cast is made up entirely of dancers from Russia and countries that were formerly part of the Soviet Union; there are an equal number of male and female performers; and the prima ballerina dances in the entire performance.

The production also features numerous puppets up to 12-feet high, including a new Rat King puppet this year.

At each venue, the production also features local children performing in the ballet. Over 60,000 children will perform in "The Great Russian Nutcracker" throughout stops in 84 U.S. cities.

Auditions for the Show Me Center show were held in September at the Susan Barnes Dance Studio in Carbondale, Ill., where 60 children ages eight through 18 were selected. One of the local dancers chosen was Rheagan Butler from Cape Girardeau.

Butler, 13, attends Central Junior High and takes dance lessons from Susan Barnes. This is the second time Butler has performed in "The Great Russian Nutcracker," and she is cast in the same roll she was two years ago, as one of the male "party children" in the first act who appear for the first 20 minutes of the ballet.

Rheagan does not mind pretending to be a boy yet again for "The Nutcracker," because she said the male children get more stage time and are given the more complicated dance moves.

Arts and crafts

Also making a holiday return to the Show Me Center is an arts and crafts show with more than 250 exhibitors sponsored by the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri.

The Show Me Center is housing the show, along with the Osage Community Centre, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

The arts council calls it one of the largest crafts shows nationally, attracting about 10,000 visitors during the two days.

"It really has a significant economic impact on the community," said Rebecca Fulgham, director of the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri.

New this year is a drawing that will be held every hour for a chance to win merchandise. The people's choice award makes a return this year, with the winning exhibitor receiving free space at next year's extravaganza.

Fulgham said this year's event should offer a better array of products than before.

"We at the arts council have put in considerable effort to upgrade the quality of the crafts, and we try to enforce our policy of handmade-only crafts," she said.

New participants in this year's event include artisans from the Best of Missouri Hands Crafters and the Arkansas Craft Guild as well as others from the surrounding area, all of whom have to be juried into the even by submitting photos of their work and an explanation of what they do.

The result is a large variety -- crafts from metal work, jewelry, hand-blown glass, pottery, clothing and leather work.

"You can find anything," Fulgham said.

kalfisi@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182