The show will go on.

River Raisin Ballet Company will stage its 16th annual “Nutcracker Ballet” starting Thursday at the RRCA.

Six performances have been set through Sunday, and seating at each is capped at 105. Both Saturday performances also will be livestreamed.

“Nutcracker” is the first show on the RRCA stage since February.

“We are so happy that we are going to be able to finally stage this show,” said Calley Duffey, associate executive director. “With great faith and precautions taken, we held auditions in August and have been rehearsing scenes since then.

“There were many pauses and accommodations, but we are pleased with how the show will be staged. Our ballet directors, Gail Choate-Pettit and Melissa Moore, are brilliantly talented and have adjusted choreography and the scenes accordingly.”

The COVID-style “Nutcracker” will have a smaller, mask-wearing cast and will be shorter, at just more than an hour with no intermission.

But, this year’s show still will showcase the local dancers, handmade costumes and choreography that local audiences appreciate each year, with the addition of a returning cast member, fresh dances and a revamped scene.

“We have a lot of new technical aspects to the show which will be fun for the audience to spot,” Duffey said. “The Arabian scene is completely different. Many scenes have new props.”

“Watch closely for humorous twists that have been peppered throughout this year’s version of ‘The Nutcracker,’” added Choate-Pettit, River Raisin Ballet Company director.

Jeff Boze, actor and RRB veteran, again will climb on stilts to reprise his role as Mother Ginger. Boze will wear a new dress designed by costume mistress Dyanne Howland.

He’ll also play the grandmother in the opening scene.

“Jeff’s last ‘Nutcracker’ was 2012. His last RRB show was in 2013, playing the role of Captain Hook in ‘Peter Pan,’” said Choate-Pettit.

“He’s very active in his church choir, but the events for this year were canceled due to COVID. We were so thrilled to have him join us again. His energy on and off the stage is positive and infectious.”

Josh Mohler returns as Drosselmeyer. Liesl Kraft plays the lead role of Clara; her brother, Johnston, plays Fritz.

Stormy Davis is the ice princess. Emma Germeroth and Jessica Foulkrod dance as dewdrops. Evelyn Short is the Arabian lead.

RRB member Erika Bressler will dance the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy.

Typically, RRB hires professional dancers for the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Sugar Plum Cavalier.

“It has been six years since we used one of our dancers in the public shows,” said Choate-Pettit. “Erika was accepted to a full-time professional school at the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. Due to COVID, she could not realize her dream. She immersed herself with personal goals, one of which was dancing the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy.

“Her plan to work on the difficult variations and improve her artistry was met with much success. We are pleased and very proud of her effort.”

Choate-Pettit is calling this year’s production a “re-imagined ‘Nutcracker.’”

Because of COVID, she had to rethinking casting. Two casts of about 60 dancers will perform at each show.

“We reduced the number of younger dangers,” Duffey explained. “One cast will dance the first three shows, the other cast will dance the last three shows. This will give us time to tailor and clean costumes between and have fewer dancers in our greenrooms while backstage.”

Dance partnering also was limited.

“The ability to think outside of the box became our ally,” said Choate-Pettit. “Clara dances much more in this re-imagined ‘Nutcracker.’

“In the party scene, Clara partners with her brother, Johnston, who plays the role of Fritz. We also were able to bring partnering into the Mother Ginger scene when Clara and Fritz dance with the clowns.”

Many audience safety precautions also will be taken for this week’s performances.

Tickets will be sold in pairs; other arrangements can be made by calling the box office. Seats are on the main floor only, as the balcony will be used for distancing cast members.

Audience members must wear masks and have their temperatures checked. Hand-sanitizer will be available. The theater will be sanitized after each performance.

“We have a fogger machine to disinfect the seats between shows,” said Duffey. “We ask for our patrons’ patience as we introduce all new protocols with our volunteer staff.

“We are in communication with the health department to make sure we are following the up-to-date protocols.”

“Nutcracker” merchandise will be sold.

“We have purchased equipment, such as a new ticketing system and a touchless point-of-sale system, to be able to sell merchandise and seat people safely,” Duffey said.

There will be no 50/50 raffle, concessions or performances for school groups. That, coupled with reduced seating, is having an impact on the theater.

“So, while this is a huge victory to welcome our patrons into our grand theater, we still humbly ask for donations,” Duffey said. “Concessions is a huge money maker for us, just as it is for any live entertainment venue or the movies. ’Nutcracker’ is our main income every year, and while we are able to stage it, it costs money to stage — directors’ fees, backdrops, costumes, programs, advertising.”

“If we sellout, we will have about 750 seats sold as opposed to 2,500 seats sold, in typical years. We also won’t be able to have the 800 school students come for a morning show,” Duffey added.

The three local sponsors — La-Z-Boy, Floral City Beverage and Friendly Ford — have stepped up to help with the shortfalls.

“They gave us money, even though we didn’t have a set season or lots of tickets to give them,” Duffey said. “We are putting all three on the show to honor and thank them.

“They really deserve all the applause they can get. These local companies who are asked and asked to donate and they really support their community — they are the champions of the arts.”

When: 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 3 and 7 p.m. Saturday and 1 and 5 p.m. Sunday. A virtual ticket is available for both Saturday shows.

Where: River Raisin Centre for the Arts, 114 S. Monroe St.

More information: 734-242-7722 or riverraisincentre.org