The Nutcracker

There's plenty of song and celebration this season with holiday concerts and shows around Kansas City.

A privately-run prison in Leavenworth, Kansas, has been plagued with reports of stabbings, understaffing and poor security. When the prison's contract with the U.S. Marshals Service ends this month, what happens next? Plus, after a year off due to COVID, the Kansas City Ballet brings The Nutcracker back to the stage.

For years, ballet dancer Whitney Huell had an ornament of the Sugar Plum Fairy from "The Nutcracker" hanging on her Christmas tree. The miniature…

Segment 1: Kansas City Ballet's first black Sugar Plum Fairy.Ballerina Whitney Huell is making history as the first African-American woman to play the…

It's Nutcracker season, and ballet dancers everywhere are preparing for the biggest performances of the year. But their productions also rely on colorful…

The Nutcracker is a local, and international, holiday tradition. How has the long-running performance transformed over the years here in Kansas City? We…

Today, the Ethics Professors take on what's been a prickly issue for Shawnee Mission schools. Should teachers be allowed to wear safety pins in…

For generations of Kansas City families attending big shows such as A Christmas Carol, The Nutcracker and The Messiah is a holiday tradition. But these…

In a basement room of the Bolender Center, Costume Shop Supervisor Jennifer Carroll and her assistant Joey Gee spend busy days fitting and repairing the…

This year marks the Kansas City Ballet’s 39th annual production of The Nutcracker. It’s a holiday tradition, with a cast of more than 200, mostly…