Though it is illegal for pranksters to shout about nonexistent fires in a theater, shrieking after an encounter with an underseat gum wad is permissible. Shout about what's on stage instead with today's deal: for $30, you get two orchestra-level tickets to Dance Wisconsin’s Nutcracker Fantasy (a $66 value), to be performed at the Wisconsin Union Theater. Choose one of the following shows:

• December 4, 2010, at 2 p.m.
• December 5, 2010, at 2 p.m.

Dance Wisconsin is composed of young, nimble-footed dancers from across southern Wisconsin, many of whom have gone on to professional careers. This deal will get you a close-up view of the company’s performance of Nutcracker Fantasy, with more than 70 local dancers joining two guest performers from New York’s prestigious American Ballet Theatre to present a contemporary adaptation of Tchaikovsky’s famous ballet. Last year’s performance was lauded by the Isthmus for its crowd-pleasing dance moves. Audience members of all ages will feel warm inside Uncle Drosselmeyer's toy shop, where toys come to life and lead children on quests to other worlds and fourth-dimensional convenience stores. This production breathes youthful imagination into the ultimate dream story by juxtaposing the traditional ballet and score with original costumes, music, and plot elements, such as a ballroom dance performed to “Carol of the Bells.”

Reviews

Last year's Dance Wisconsin performance of Nutcracker Fantasy received high praise from Isthmus and 77 Square:

• Nutcracker Fantasy's gentler than the spooky E.T.A. Hoffman tale at the core of the standard Christmastime ballet. It's got a hybrid score, part Tchaikovsky, part carols, part local composer Taras Nahirniak…It's also a viable small show, with some solid dancing by company members and guest principals from American Ballet Theater. – Susan Kepecs, Isthmus
• It was the kind of intensely hometown show that warms the heart and ushers in the holiday spirit, while reaching moderate heights. – Karyn Saemann, 77 Square