Another crack at it

Mike Sciacca

Terri and Anthony Sellars have been in the business of staging “The

Nutcracker” for so many years that they didn’t seem fazed at all by

the excitement and commotion taking place during the first day of

dress rehearsals.

Still, they have to direct nearly 250 children in various roles

over two days of rehearsals, so you can’t blame the Huntington Beach

couple if they end up with visions of sugar plum fairies dancing in

their heads while they sleep at night.

“Yeah, you take it to bed with you at times,” Terri Sellars,

ballet mistress, said of the production, now in its 28th year. “We

have so much going on over a two-week period for this production, but

it’s so much fun for the children.”

“The Nutcracker,” which opened Dec. 11, continues its run today

through Christmas Eve day at the Golden West College Main Stage

Theater.

At Saturday’s dress rehearsal, there were baby mice, angles,

soldiers, party girls, Claras and sugar plum fairies everywhere.

The Sellars’ daughter, Katie, 12, is one of four performers to

play the role of “Clara,” a primary character who receives the gift

of the Nutcracker.

Their son, Chris, 19, also is in the production and will play the

role of the “Cavalier” on Sunday.

Anthony Sellars, the production’s artistic director, will play

“Cavalier” until his son returns from Pennsylvania, where he

currently is performing in a production of “The Nutcracker.”

“It’s really exciting to be out there on stage,” said Katie

Sellars, who next will play “Clara” during Sunday’s matinee

performance. “It’s also really fun to have my family involved with

this. I get to go to the theater early and help set things up. It’s

definitely one, big family, with everyone in the cast and crew

involved.”

Like many in the production, Colie Cassidy has worked her way up

the performing ranks in “The Nutcracker,” having started years ago in

the role of a “baby mouse.”

The 17-year-old, a senior at Huntington Beach High, is one of

three young women to play the lead role of the “Sugar Plum Fairy.”

Cassidy first took flight as the fairy during a special

performance Tuesday for school-aged children who were bused in to

Golden West College, and she’ll take the stage again to play the role

during Sunday’s matinee.

“I’m having so much fun,” she exclaimed. “I think the most

exciting thing about this is when the audience is so enthusiastic.

When you can hear the crowd, and I’m aware of the ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’

coming from the children in the audience, it makes you want to give

an even better performance.”

Terri Sellars said that she and her husband have had the

opportunity to watch the production’s dancers for the past year

through various events, including a summer workshop showcase, at the

Orange County Dance Center in Huntington Beach.

Dancers had to audition to become part of the production’s cast.

“Each dancer in this production is unique, and they all

continually amaze us with their passion and drive,” Terri Sellars

said. “There’s a lot of energy and a lot of enthusiasm and all the

performers, whether they have just left the stage or have yet to go

on, stand in the wings and watch the others out there on stage. It

really is a close-knit family.”

In addition to Cassidy, Golden West College student Randi

Galbraith, a former Miss Huntington Beach, and Tara Ghassemieh of

Anaheim, will play the role of the “Sugar Plum Fairy.”

Sharing the role of “Clara” with Katie Sellars is Taryn Nowels,

Cassie Cotarelo and Abbie Sarinana of Huntington Beach.

“I started out as a baby mouse and have played every role before

getting to play Clara this year,” said Taryn, 12, adding she wants to

become a professional dancer. “This production has been so much fun

through the years and I think this year’s production is really well

done. I’m really excited about it and I think the audience will love

it.”