Carolina Ballet is preparing to present the company's sixth annual production of the holiday family classic "Nutcracker" at Raleigh Memorial Auditorium of the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts.

This year Carolina Ballet reaches a milestone, performing its 100th "Nutcracker" on Dec. 19.

There will be 18 performances of "Nutcracker" during the Thanksgiving/Christmas holiday season.

The schedule is as follows: Friday, Nov. 24, at 2 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 25, at 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.; Sunday, Nov. 26, at 2 p.m.; Friday, Dec. 15, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 16, at 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 17, at 2 and 6 p.m.; Tuesday, Dec. 19, and Wednesday, Dec. 20, at 7:30 p.m.; Thursday, Dec. 21, and Friday, Dec. 22, at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, Dec. 23, at 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.

Carolina Ballet has been working on the production since the weekend following Labor Day. It was then that more than 200 children auditioned for parts as soldiers, mice, gingerbread cookies, truffles, party scene children, and, of course, the role of Clara, every little girl's dream.

There are children from all over the Triangle area involved in the production including Knightdale, Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina, Cary, Durham, Chapel Hill and Raleigh, and several of these children have been in "Nutcracker" since the first show in 2001.

"It is an enormous commitment," says Artistic Director Robert Weiss, "and we are very grateful to all the parents who are willing to give up so much of their own time to let their children be in Carolina Ballet's professional production."

Weiss premiered his choreography for "Nutcracker" to Tchaikovsky's well known score in December 2001.

The scenery was designed by Jeff A.R. Jones and built by Alternate Route Studios. This includes the Christmas tree that grows 28 feet to the top of the stage and the magnificent Land of Sweets of Act II that looks good enough to eat.

Judanna Lynn designed the costumes, and David Heuvel, costume production director at Ballet West, coordinated the five costume shops around the country and in England that made those costumes and the animal heads a reality. Much of the work on the costumes was done by hand, down to the sewing of 51 buttons on each of the 20 soldier costumes -- 1,020 buttons in all.

Carolina Ballet's "Nutcrack-er" is performed to live music under the direction of Alfred E. Sturgis.

Patrons are urged to buy their tickets for "Nutcracker" early to be guaranteed the best choice of seats.

For ticket information please call 919 719-0900 or Ticket-master at 919-834-4000.

Ticket prices range from $15 in the outer balcony to $100 in the Golden Circle.