FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 9, 2005

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - As part of its Artistic Outreach program, Metropolitan Classical Ballet will provide the patients of Cook Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth with a condensed version of The Nutcracker ballet at 3:00 p.m. on Monday, December 12th in the atrium of the hospital.

Metropolitan Classical Ballet has performed for the hospital since 1999 and was welcomed back again this year. Company dancers will be joined by students of the Metropolitan Ballet Academy, the official school of the company.

As an added gesture of giving, Metropolitan Classical Ballet and the children's cast will donate items to The Kid's Closet at Cook Children's Medical Center. The service provides patients or their family members assistance when there is an urgent need for clothing or personal care items.

Metropolitan Classical Ballet will also present four public performances of The Nutcracker at Texas Hall on the campus of the University of Texas in Arlington, with music by Peter Ilych Tchaikovsky and choreography by Alexander Vetrov. Performances will be on Friday, December 16th at 8:00 p.m., Saturday, December 17th at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, December 18th at 2:00 p.m. All performances will be set to the musical accompaniment of the Metropolitan Classical Ballet Orchestra under the direction of Ron Spigelman.

Tickets for The Nutcracker range in price from $10 - $30, and are available only through Metropolitan Classical Ballet. Call (817) 275-0598 or (817) 465-4644 or order online at www.mcballet.org. Tickets are also available at the administrative office at 500 West Abram Street, Arlington, Texas. Call (817) 465-4644 for group discounts. Season sponsors include American Airlines, WRR Classical 101, and the law firm of Hill Gilstrap.

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Media Note: Further information may be obtained by contacting Judy Puder at (817) 465-4644.