There are moments in a child’s life when the world opens—just enough to let imagination rush in like light slipping through a long-sealed window. This Thursday evening, students from the Stockton Unified School District will experience one of those rare, transformative openings as they step into the Bob Hope Theatre for an exclusive dress rehearsal of The Nutcracker, made possible by the Adventist Health Arena Community Fund in partnership with SUSD.
For many of these young dreamers, this will be their first encounter with the majesty of live performance: the warm glow of stage lights, dancers moving like poetry, and the quiet magic that fills the air before a curtain rises. It is more than a rehearsal—it is an invitation into possibility, creativity, and the sense that art is not distant or unreachable, but something meant for them.
Jason Perry, General Manager of Stockton Live, reflected on the purpose of the evening, describing it as a way to “open doors to imagination, creativity, and cultural enrichment.” In a time when young people are pulled in countless directions, giving them access to world-class ballet is a gesture of hope—one that reminds them that beauty, discipline, and wonder are within their reach.
Nutcracker producer Dan Talmi shared how deeply Stockton has embraced the cast and crew during rehearsals. He spoke of live performance as a bridge—uniting communities, teaching youth, and enriching lives. These values, he noted, feel especially meaningful as the holiday season approaches.
And Stockton now carries this magic forward. Following the student dress rehearsal, The Nutcracker officially opens this Friday, November 7, at the historic Bob Hope Theatre—marking Stockton as the first stop of the production’s national tour. The energy that begins here will ripple outward, traveling from our community to audiences across the country.
Tickets for the Friday, November 7 performance are available now through Ticketmaster, and can also be purchased in person at the Bob Hope Theatre Box Office on the day of the show beginning at 4 PM.
But before the grand opening, Thursday’s rehearsal belongs to the children—to their wide eyes, their curiosity, and their unspoken dreams. In the golden interior of the Bob Hope Theatre, where history and artistry meet, Stockton’s youth will witness dancers who seem to defy gravity, music that stirs the heart, and a story that has enchanted generations.
Perhaps, in that moment, something will shift inside them. A spark. A beginning. A belief that they, too, can create, perform, dream, and shape a world of their own.
Inspiration is a seed—and on this special night, Stockton is planting thousands.