Teddy Rockwell, 10, and his father, Sam Rockwell, 41, of East Harriet (with Sam formerly of Lowry Hill), will perform in Loyce Houlton’s Nutcracker Fantasy this December at the State Theatre in downtown Minneapolis.
Celebrating its 60th anniversary, the production runs from Dec. 14- 22 and continues to be a cherished Minnesota holiday tradition.
Sam Rockwell is the son of Hill & Lake Press founders Win and Binky Rockwell, who, along with Jim and Susan Lenfestey, established the publication in 1976.
At the time, the Lenfesteys were the "Hill" of Lowry Hill, and the Rockwells were the "Lake" of East Isles. Sam, featured in a 1995 article about his own performance in the Nutcracker, now shares the stage with his son as history comes full circle.
This year’s Nutcracker Fantasy will showcase nearly 100 student dancers from across the Twin Cities alongside professional dancers.
The 44-piece Nutcracker Orchestra, led by Steve Amundson and Philip Brunelle, will perform Tchaikovsky’s timeless score in a festive retelling of the classic tale.
Teddy, a 5th grader at Barton Elementary and student at Minnesota Dance Theatre and School, will perform as Fritz and a young cousin. This marks Teddy’s third year in the production. His father, Sam, returns for his fifth year, playing the Grandfather and dancing in a second-act ensemble. Sam performed in the Nutcracker Fantasy in 2023 and for three seasons in the 1990s.
Recognized as “the gold standard of Nutcrackers in Minnesota” (Star Tribune), the production takes audiences on a magical journey through the Land of Snow and the Kingdom of the Sugar Plum Fairy, as seen through the eyes of Marie and guided by her wizardly Godfather Drosselmayer.
