`NUTCRACKER' RETURNS

Tchaikovsky's classic Christmas tale the "Nutcracker" will be performed at 8 p.m. Friday at the Show Me Center by the Saint Louis Ballet.

This is the second year the ballet has performed in Cape Girardeau and the 15th year the Saint Louis Ballet has presented a production of the "Nutcracker." This year's performance in sponsored by St. Francis Medical Center.

Artistic Director Ludmila Dokoudovsky said her company had a warm reception at last year's performance in Cape Girardeau. She said she and her husband (and co-artistic director) Antoni Zalewski are looking forward to bringing the 70-member cast to the Show Me Center. Dokoudovsky and Zalewski also founded the ballet company.

"The audience was wonderful last time," she said, "and it was a wonderful experience for us."

The ballet is about a young girl, Clara, who dreams about a broken nutcracker she received as a Christmas gift. In her dream, the nutcracker becomes a prince who takes Clara through the World of Sweets, meeting the Sugar Plum Fairy, the Snow Queen and King, and toys and soldiers that come alive.

Among the performers is Beijing, China, native Lin Zhen Lin. Dokoudovsky said Lin was cited in 1988 as the most exciting young artist at the International Ballet Competition in Bulgary. She said he had worked with several reputable companies before coming to Saint Louis.

Lin plays the prince in the production.

"He's a marvelous dancer," Dokoudovsky said.

Also in the production is a 15-year-old Benton, Ill., resident.

Alicia Whitehead shares two roles with another girl in the production. She plays Clara and Russian.

"It's really exciting," said Whitehead, who has been performing since she was 8. She has been part of the Saint Louis Ballet's "Nutcracker" since she was 9.

While her friends go to the mall or are involved in other extracurricular activities, the high school freshman typically is hustling to St. Louis for practice or on her way to a performance somewhere in the Midwest.

Between mid-November and Christmas Eve, Whitehead's weekends are planned by the ballet company.

In addition to places like the Show Me Center, the ballet also performs for schools, especially in the St. Louis area.

"I like going to the schools," Whitehead said. "They usually cheer."

She said the best performance the cast has had so far this year was probably in Alton, Ill. "They gave us a standing ovation," she said.

Both of Whitehead's parents and some of her friends will try to make the trip to see the performance.

Tickets are $25, $20 and $15, with $5 off for students and seniors. A $3 discount will be offered on each ticket for groups of 20 or more.

Tickets are available at the Show Me Center, Capital Bank's main branches in Jackson, Perryville, Sikeston and Poplar Bluff, Disc Jockey Records, Schnucks on Kingshighway and by phone at (314) 651-5000.