by AllWaltrip.com

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Gentlemen: Start your Engines! Darrell Waltrip is racing to Nashville Ballet's holiday favorite this year as "Mother Ginger" in Nutcracker. This scene-stealing role accelerates quickly and will leave folks begging for more! Darrell will don a LARGER-than-LIFE dress and prepare to maneuver across the stage at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center on Friday December 15, 2006 at 7:00 pm. Once onstage, eight children magically appear from his voluminous skirts, dancing for joy and "Mother Ginger" will move with speed of light to capture these children in less than 10 laps! Nashville Ballet invites you to enjoy the thrill of victory in this win-win production of ballet & driver.

Nashville Ballet will also be donating tickets in Darrell's name to underserved youth in the Middle Tennessee Area. Nashville Ballet has a strong arts education and outreach program called "Learning Curves" This outreach program touches over 33,000 children per year and has been reaching out to the community for over twenty years. Having Darrell Waltrip participate in our Nutcracker production generates excitement, introduces ballet to new fans, and provides the financial foundation for our upcoming season and outreach performances.

"This is truly Nashville's Nutcracker," said Paul Vasterling, artistic director of Nashville Ballet. The company will be joined by the Nashville Symphony performing Tchaikovsky's classic score live at each show. Additionally, our dancers will welcome the 175 members of the youth cast, who are all from Middle Tennessee. Adding Darrell Waltrip in the role of Mother Ginger adds even more of a Nashville flavor to the performance."

Vasterling points out that, although there will always be a Nashville accent to our performance, the dancing will be first class. "Because of Nashville Ballet's outstanding reputation, dancers have come from around the country and the world to join our company."

Nutcracker is the fanciful tale of Clara and her magical Nutcracker doll. Larger-than-life Nutcracker dolls, huge sets, bright lights and a bold dragon operated by nine dancers will take the audience on a magical adventure. They will journey through the Land of Sweets and the Snow Kingdom, with plenty of suspenseful battle scenes and enjoyable dancing along the way.

A big thank you goes to our Nutcracker sponsors: Presenting Sponsor AmSouth Bank, Performance Sponsor Publix Super Markets Charities, and Holiday Magic Sponsor Caremark.

Performance Dates, Times and Ticket Information:
At TPAC's Jackson Hall

• Friday, December 15, 7 p.m.
• Saturday, December 16, 2:00 & 7:00 pm
• Sunday, December 17, 2:00 pm
• Friday, December 17, 2:00 & 7:00 pm
• Saturday, December 18, 2 p.m.& 7:00 pm

How to Get Tickets:
Call Ticketmaster at (615) 255-ARTS (2787), visit www.nashvilleballet.com, any Ticketmaster outlet, or visit either the TPAC Box Office downtown or at Davis-Kidd Booksellers in the Mall at Green Hills. For groups of ten or more, call 615.297.2966 Ext 10 to save 20 percent.

Nashville Ballet is funded in part from grants made available through the Metropolitan Nashville Arts Commission, the Tennessee Arts Commission, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Ingram Charitable Fund.

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Founded in 1981 as a civic dance company, Nashville Ballet became Middle Tennessee's only professional ballet company in 1986. Nashville Ballet presents a varied repertoire of classical pieces and contemporary works by noted choreographers, as well as original works by Artistic Director Paul Vasterling, which are performed worldwide. In October 2006, Nashville Ballet took its varied repertoire to Amarillo , Texas as the season opener for Lone Star Ballet. Through performances and education/outreach programs, Nashville Ballet reaches more than 40,000 adults and children annually.

Nashville Ballet's 22 company dancers and apprentices will perform four series during the 21st Season. Still remaining are: Nutcracker, Dec. 15-17 and Dec. 22-23, 2006; Bluebird Café at the Ballet 2, Feb. 16 - 18, 2007; and Swan Lake, April 27 - 29, 2007.