Sugarplums or spangles?

Midway through its fortieth season opening last fall, Boston Ballet received notice from The Wang Theatre, its long-time landlord, that the company's cash-cow production of The Nutcracker, a thirty-five-year-old tradition, would be evicted in 2004. While the decision did not affect the 2003 performances, the announcement came when the company was struggling to erase a $3 million deficit. The new tenant was rumored to be the touring Radio City Music Hall Rockettes presenting their fabled Christmas show.

COMPOUNDING THE problem was Boston's theatrical landscape. None of the other downtown houses has a stage large enough for the extravagant settings of The Nutcracker. Nor do they contain the Wang's 3,600 scats, which are necessary to accommodate the approximately 120,000 people who attended the 2002 run, the last year for which figures were available. "Cancellation of The Nutcracker is inconceivable. It would result in a budget shortfall of $3 million," said Boston Ballet artistic director Mikko Nissinen. Happily, the recent announcement of a $3 million bequest, the largest in the company's history, has provided a cushion to any shortfall.

Still, the venue problem hasn't gone away. In addition to issues of size and availability, The Nutcracker (and other Boston Ballet performances) receive preferential rental rates as nonprofit productions. To compound the irony, The Wang Center for the Performing Arts, headquartered at The Wang Theatre is incorporated as a nonprofit itself, and raises funds in competition with other nonprofits that it houses.

WANG CENTER President and CEO Josiah Spaulding isn't talking, beyond issuing a statement. "The Boston Ballet has been and continues to be a valued resident company in our theater as we hope and expect them to be for many years ... The Wang Center for the Performing Arts is pursuing other options for next winter, and has no further comment at this time."

At press time, fire company's hope lay in a plea for a one-year stay of eviction, which Mayor Tom Menino agreed to transmit personally to Spaulding. Other options include a smaller commercial house and, for 2005, the newly built Opera House (booked in 2004 with The Lion King). A wilder thought--following in Michael Harley's flourish of foot-steps--is sharing the FleetCenter with the Boston Bruins and the Celtics. "We could set up a stage and risers, charge $25 a seat, and let all Boston come," Nissinen says.