Islamorada Community Entertainment

Posts Tagged ‘The CocoNutcracker’

The Island Queen and Pirate Captain

With my tank of holiday spirit running low I looked to the CocoNutcracker to help fill ‘er back up. Truth be told I had to be dragged to the performance at the Coral Shores Performing Arts Center. It seems my Christmas spirit runs out a little bit sooner each year. I start out strong after Thanksgiving. I get the tree up and decorated, fight the crowds to get the shopping done, spend too much money on my family to make up for the fact that I can’t see them over the holidays….All while staying busy and focused on my work. Can’t slack off on the holidays. Not in this economy.

My dear friend and her 8-year-old aspiring ballerina daughter decided to save me from my impending Scrooge-dom and insisted I join them. So off we went to the 7pm standing room only showing of the CocoNutcracker, the Florida Keys very own tropical version of the old holiday classic. I’m sure you’re familiar with The Nutcracker, but here’s how it goes with a Florida Keys twist.

Kids at the beach party

The kids are having a beach party, its all fun and games until dad opens a mysterious toy chest and finds two crazy punked out rock pirate dolls inside. Once the mischievous pirate dolls are tucked back safe and sound into the toy box, the kids get a little rambunctious and little Calvin gets bonked on the head with a coconut. Luckily a gang of frisky pirate monkeys came along to wake him up. But he’s shocked to discover that while he was out a gang of pirates had invaded on The CocoNutcracker, a pirate ship.

Pirates invade on The CocoNutcracker

The pirates take Calvin on The CocoNutcracker to an enchanted island where they find the beautiful Island Queen and her forest fairies. The Island Queen graciously invites Calvin and his new pirate friend to enjoy her fantastic line up of island entertainment.

The crowd went crazy for the bubble bath ballerina water fairies, the cute little dancing poinsettias, and the enchanting red dressed Spanish flamenco girls. There were gymnasts hanging from the ceiling and

Mother Seaweed's sea girls

backhand-springing through the air. Mother Seaweed’s colorful dancing fish were swimming and cart-wheeling across the stage. The pirate ninjas performed with their swords and the Chinese dancers with their bamboo.

Calvin was in awe, and I’m sure he hated to go, but before long he had to get back to his beach party. So he and the pirates said goodbye to their new Island friends and set sail for home.

Taking a bow

The hard work and enthusiasm these kids (and adults too!) of all ages put into the performance was amazing. The community spirit it takes to put on a performance like this was uplifting. The awe in the faces of the kids in the audience each time a new set of performers danced across the stage was contagious. My friend’s daughter made me realize how important it is to get out in the community and experience performances like these. The smile on her face and sparkle in her eyes when the magical Island Queen leaped and twirled and pirouetted across the stage so gracefully…well…It filled my spirit tank back up to the top. Just in time for Christmas!

Here’s some video if you’d like to see for yourself
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_MRXA1YJ58 ) although I ran out of film before the end. Feel free to share your holiday performance pics or video at our facebook page. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Islamorada-Community-Entertainment-ICE/172253228106

Anything to help fill up our tanks…Thank you to everyone involved with this magical holiday performance…Merry Christmas Eve and happy holidays!!!