The Return of Orange County’s Beloved Nutcracker

In 2006, Charles Maple and Kathy Crade of Maple Conservatory & Maple Youth Ballet launched a production that would shape a generation of local artists. Beginning with “Nutcracker – A New Beginning,” the Nutcracker became an annual tradition from 2006 through 2019, uniting the Orange County dance community.

The production featured dancers of all ages and followed Charles’s vision: Grandma Clara’s recollection of her youth, her family’s party scene, and her vivid imagination—transforming toy soldiers and life‑sized rats into a dramatic battle. The journey continued through the winter snow and into the palace of sweets, ending with the reveal that it was all a dream and a celebration of a dancers journey through choreography and dance.

Many of you have already been part of this remarkable production—as students, parents, volunteers, and audience members. Few tell the Nutcracker story in Orange County as distinctly as Charles Maple and Kathy Crade’s rendition.