REDDING, Calif. Tonight, the Redding City Ballet held their first in-person performance of The Nutcracker this year.

Last year the performance was broadcast live due to COVID-19.

Despite the return to an actual audience, the ballet moved to a smaller venue due to scheduling conflicts with the Cascade Theater.

Instead of performing in front of the nearly 1,000-seat theater, the ballet can now only accommodate 200 seats in a ballroom at the Sheraton hotel.

“It’s a big fundraiser for us and we’re really limited in the tickets we can sell here,” said Redding City Ballet artistic director Diana Christensen. “So we’re going to have a full house, I know that, because we’re so limited. But we make it work, we love to dance and wherever we can dance and however we can dance we will.

While Christensen admits it’s a difficult move, she’s thrilled to take on the challenge of adapting to the venue, like creating her own backstage space.

Christensen is excited to add more audience involvement, which wouldn’t be possible in The Cascade Theater.

After hearing heavy applause last year, artists like Chris Steward and Alan Thompson are just happy to be back in front of a real audience.

“Reclaiming an audience is so huge, and I love playing in front of an audience,” said Thompson. “It gives the show so much more energy.”

“We are so thankful to be able to be on stage in front of people and to experience the Christmas season in a way that we have enjoyed in the past,” said Steward.

Steward joined the ballet with his daughter as a son.

After seeing the ballet in 2018, Steward’s daughter fell in love with the dance and has been a part of the show since 2019.

Steward is excited to share the stage and create a family memory they can share forever.

“A few years ago we said we wanted to prioritize the moments over the material or the experiences over the stuff, and so if I dress in a cape and go on stage with her support her and she love to do it, so I’m all about it. ”Steward said.

The ballet will host three other shows, one on December 11 at 1 p.m. and two on December 18 at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.