Karen Gleason
Even in the time of COVID-19, the show must go on.
The Paul Poag Theatre for the Performing Arts on Saturday was a little emptier than in years past, but Annie Marshall and her troupe of young Del Rio dancers didn’t let that stop them from maintaining a holiday tradition: presentation of Tchaikovsky’s beloved “The Nutcracker” ballet.
The ballet, which follows the story of a young girl and the Nutcracker prince, has become a December staple on stages across North America and the world. Marshall and the Del Rio dancers have been performing the ballet here for more than a decade.
This year, restrictions on gatherings mandated by state and local officials due to the COVID-19 pandemic forced Marshall and the Del Rio Council for the Arts, which sponsors the performance, to limit attendance for Saturday’s two performances.
The young dancers and Marshall practiced just as hard, though, putting the finishing touches on the ballet during dress rehearsals Thursday and Friday night on the stage of the historic Paul Poag.
The performance was videotaped, though, and will be available on the Del Rio Council for the Arts’ Facebook page.
