South Orange Siblings To Star In ‘Nutcracker’ At MSU

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — South Orange teen siblings Anna Pettigrew and Will Pettigrew will get a chance to show the Essex County community their moves when the pair star in a production of the beloved holiday classic, “The Nutcracker,” at Montclair State University this December.

According to a news release, the Pettigrew siblings are both members of the hosting troupe, the New Jersey Dance Theatre Ensemble (NJDTE), which will hold performances at Memorial Auditorium at Montclair State University, 1 Normal Avenue in Montclair, on Saturday, Dec. 10 at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 11 at 2 p.m.

According to the NJDTE:

“Anna, an eighth-grade student at South Orange Middle School and Will, a junior at Columbia High School, are the children of Duncan and Bethany Pettigrew of South Orange. Anna has been a member of NJDTE’s Ensemble Company since 2012, and Will is making his debut with the company this season. Anna will perform the roles of Clara, Party Girl, Garland and Soldier this season, and Will appears as Lead Chinese Boy, Party Boy, Soldier and Russian.

"It has always been my dream to play Clara and I’m so excited to be given this special opportunity,” Anna Pettigrew said. “The Nutcracker is such a wonderful ballet and I love being able to tell a story through dance.”

Tickets for the NJDTE’s 47th anniversary production of “The Nutcracker” are $25 to $35 and are available online here.

Photo: Tony Turner

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