Jackson Margolis performed as Purple Boy, a specific Party Boy, in the 2011 “Nutcracker.” He was a Party Boy for four consecutive years.
Freshman Jackson Margolis has danced in “The Nutcracker” for eight years. This year the ballet will be performed on Dec. 10, 11, 17, 18 and 23 at the Community Center Theater. Online tickets are on sale. Here are the roles that Margolis has held, including his comments on those roles.
Cook – 6 years old
Margolis’s first role was a Cook; however, he didn’t do much.
The Cooks help prepare the Christmas Eve party in the first scene.
“I held the plum pudding, and all I did was just walk on stage, walk around Clara and then walk off. And for me that was the greatest thing ever.”
Audition for Mother Ginger’s child – 7 years old
Mother Ginger comes out in the second act in a big skirt with eight children underneath.
The children run out from under her skirt and do cartwheels.
“(It) isn’t a hard part. But the directors have to cast kids who know how to do a cartwheel. I didn’t get the role because I didn’t know how. I was really bummed. I went back to the huge waiting room (after the audition) with all these 5- and 6-year-olds. I was the oldest of all.”
Cook – 7 years old
So Margolis ended up being a Cook again.
“I was agitated that year being the Cook, because I really wanted to be one of Mother Ginger’s children.”
Party Boy – 8 years old
This year Margolis and his mother asked the director in charge of children’s casting what he should audition for.
The director said that the production was low on Party Boys that year.
Margolis played different Party Boys for five years.
“I was 3 inches too short, but I got the role. And I was so happy.”
Kilt Boy (Party Boy) – 8 years old
Kilt Boy, who is Fritz’s friend, is the smallest Party Boy role.
“There’s this rumor that the following year after being Kilt Boy, you would be Fritz.”
Fritz (Party Boy) – 9 and 10 years old
Margolis played Fritz, who is a Stalbaum child, for four years.
The Stalbaums are the hosts of the party.
Fritz, the mischievous brother of Clara, is in the party scene when his mysterious godfather Herr Drosselmeyer arrives and gives him a toy train.
Drosselmeyer then gives Clara the nutcracker. Out of jealousy, Fritz breaks her present.
“Fritz is the male equivalent to Clara. It’s what got my name really out there in the ballet world.”
Purple Boy (Party Boy) – 11 and 12 years old
Purple Boy is a Party Boy who wears a purple outfit.
“After being Fritz for two years, I was like, okay, I want to move onto more important things.”
Purple Boy and Soldier Captain – 12 years old
In seventh grade, Margolis was double-casted.
“I was excited to be double-casted. It was my first dancing role, and I loved being in the party scene. It’s my favorite scene. I also had to do a quick change.”
The battle scene is right after the party scene.
There is a battle scene between the Soldier Captain and his soldiers against the Mouse King and his army of mice.
The Soldier Captain defeats the mice and wins the battle.
“I was in the battle scene, which was a completely new experience. I also had a solo, (which) was medium allegro. There are high jumps, and it’s four eighths. (After the solo) I walk off the stage and bring stuff back on stage, like a cannon.”
News Boy and Soldier Captain – 13 years old
News Boy is in the prologue of the ballet.
“I go on stage and pretend that I’m selling news, and then I freeze. It’s really fun. I can do a lot of acting as News Boy instead of dancing.”
Margolis played in every single show that year, which is rare for someone who isn’t an adult.
News Boy and Big Mouse – 14 years old
In September Margolis auditioned for Big Mouse, a company role, and got it.
Margolis is now dancing with the company, which is composed of males from 20-23 years old. He is the youngest and the shortest of all the males.
As Big Mouse, Margolis will be on stage in a huge costume for around 15 minutes. He dances for the first three minutes and improvises for the rest of the time.
“The costume sags, and I have a mask, so I can hardly see anything on stage.
“The dancing part is challenging because (the mice) have to get really high up in the air. It’s hard to do that jump, especially with the costume.”
—By Annya Dahmani
