A Cherished Tradition Lives On

Wilmington Conservatory of Fine Arts honors its founder through “The Nutcracker”

By Judy Royal  »  Photos by East & Elm Photo

This December, as snowflakes twirl across the stage and Tchaikovsky’s score fills the Wilson Center, the students of the Wilmington Conservatory of Fine Arts will step into a bittersweet tradition. For the first time, “The Nutcracker” will unfold without the guiding presence of founder Cory Phipps Smith, whose passion and grace shaped generations of young performers before her passing earlier this year.

Smith, who lost a three-year battle with breast cancer in March, created the full-length version of the holiday classic that was first presented by the performing arts school in 2023. This year’s production will feature more than 200 participants — including WCFA dancers, local actors and professional performers — bringing the stage to life during three performances Dec. 13-14.

“It includes humor and creativity, all the things we love from different versions of ‘The Nutcracker’ and compiling them into one,” says WCFA Managing Director Molly Quittschreiber. “It’s become a really cool tradition for our students as well. It gives them something to strive for through the year of training. It shows a progression of what the school does and how it grows every year.”

For its first 15 years, WCFA performed other winter ballets because leaders weren’t sure a full-length version of “The Nutcracker” would appeal to general audiences, Quittschreiber says. But Smith was up for the challenge of creating something for everyone.

“The whole beginning party scene can get boring and repetitive as it builds the storyline, so her goal was to make it comical and entertaining,” Quittschreiber says. “She tried to add aspects that make it more interesting for the audience, especially in that first section. The goal was to create a first act that would still be very engaging. She had a funny, comical spirit anyway, so it kind of shines through.”

Auditions were held in August, and since September the cast has been hard at work perfecting their roles. Behind the scenes, a dedicated team manages costumes and lighting, ensuring every dancer shines on stage.

Quittschreiber describes WCFA’s “The Nutcracker” as an “intro ballet” for the whole family.

“The highest compliment has been from dads and brothers who say they were entertained and loved it,” she says. “Our goal is to create something with ‘The Nutcracker’ where people will come to love ballet and maybe see other productions that might not be as popular.”

“The Nutcracker” will be the second show WCFA has presented since Smith’s passing. In June, the school performed a tribute to her through “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.”

“It was hard for students to go between joy and honor and grief and loss,” Quittschreiber says. “It has been difficult, especially for the older students for whom she was a huge mentor and part of their lives.”

Smith, who was born in Wilmington and grew up in Southport, spent years in the Raleigh-Durham area furthering her dance training with prestigious schools and instructors. She moved back to the area and founded what eventually became WCFA in 2007 in a small gymnastics studio. Each year, enrollment grew, and 10 years ago the school moved to its current space on South College Road. Even through her health issues, Smith continued to show up and pour herself into WCFA, Quittschreiber says.

“It was amazing to see how determined she was to keep the train moving,” she says. “It’s been an honor to see the school continue to pick up. Everyone wants to continue the years of hard work she put into it. She was a very determined, hard-working woman.”

Quittschreiber, who grew up dancing at WCFA under Smith’s leadership, returned to work at the school in 2022.

“I’ve taken all that I’ve learned from Cory and tried to instill that in the school now with my own spin,” she says. “It’s hard, but we’re trying to keep honoring her in that way.”

WCFA plans to continue offering two main productions each year, with smaller showcases and community outreach in between. Smith’s family — including her mother, husband and two daughters — remain involved with the school.

“Our biggest mission moving forward is to create a space for the arts that’s a healthy and flourishing place for people and students,” Quittschreiber says. “It’s a safe haven, which can be hard to find in the world of dance. Our goal is a happy place where students can train in excellence.”

Wilmington Conservatory of Fine Arts presents “The Nutcracker”

Dec. 13 at 1 and 7 p.m., and Dec. 14 at 3 p.m.

Wilson Center, 703 N. Third St., Wilmington

Details and tickets:  wilsoncentertickets.com