LANSING - For the 34th time, the Children's Ballet Theatre of Michigan will be putting on it’s production of “The Nutcracker” over Thanksgiving weekend.

Led by director Gregory M. George, the cast has been hard at work since September rehearsing for the holiday classic. The production features approximately 60 kids, many of whom are longtime dancers at the Children's Ballet Theatre. The show also includes little guest dancers, dancers from the Children's Miracle Network, and male dancers from Grand Valley State University and Alma College.

Hundreds of theatergoers will find themselves walking through these doors of the Wharton Center on Thanksgiving weekend for what Okemos Senior Mackenzie Mitchell calls a holiday tradition.

“It’s a tradition," Mitchell said. "It’s a great way to start off the holiday season, it’s fun for all ages, and it’s a really great show.”

The story begins with Christmas party where Clara receives a Nutcracker doll as a gift. Clara falls asleep and enters an adventure where she and her Nutcracker battle the Rat King, before the Nutcracker transforms into a handsome prince and takes clara on an adventure to the Land of Sweets where they meet the Sugar Plum Fairy and other magical characters.

Alongside the dancers, the show also rests on the shoulders of parent volunteers who work hard to make sure costumes and other necessities for the show are done on time.

“When my daughter joined the company when she was nine years old, each parent has responsibilities to help support the company, so, just as she’s been here every weekend for those years, so have I," parent volunteer Michelle Mitchell said.

The dancers are looking to add the finishing touches before their first performance Friday, November 28th at 7:30 p.m.