Dear editor:

Last Saturday, I welcomed a break from studying for finals by attending The Nutcracker. In the Dec. 12, 2011, article, ?Nutcracker stages variety of talents,? by Mary Hierholzer, it brings up many valid points I agree with.

Expecting the performance to be like other versions of The Nutcracker I?ve seen before, to my surprise, as Mary stated in her article, the storyline was changed up a bit. Seeing the play along with the music that filled the Saroyan Theater added to the visual drama on stage.

Another element of surprise was seeing Mr. Dan Harris wearing yet another ?hat.? Our chemistry teacher, who also speaks fluent Chinese throughout the week, had reinvented himself once again.

He and his friends from Break the Barriers stole the show with their Russian style dance routine. The performers seemed to enjoy their routine as much as the audience enjoyed watching it.

?Simply amazing? are the only words to describe their performance. This production of The Nutcracker has become my favorite by far. The addition of the Break the Barriers group took it straight to the top, along with Mr. Harris, of course.