Toy soldiers come to life, above, as other cast members wait in the wings, right, during Wednesday's dress rehearsal of Ballet West's "The Nutcracker," which opens Friday at the Capitol Theatre in Salt Lake City. Entering its 59th season, Ballet West calls its "Nutcracker" the longest-running full production of the holiday classic in the world. The show runs through Dec. 31, with a break Dec. 10-14 for performances at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. For tickets, visit balletwest.org or arttix.org
Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Ballet West members perform during a dress rehearsal of The Nutcracker at the Capitol Theatre Wednesday December 3, 2014.
Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Ballet West members perform during a dress rehearsal of The Nutcracker at the Capitol Theatre Wednesday December 3, 2014.
Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Ballet West members perform during a dress rehearsal of The Nutcracker at the Capitol Theatre Wednesday December 3, 2014.
Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Ballet West members perform during a dress rehearsal of The Nutcracker at the Capitol Theatre Wednesday December 3, 2014.
Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Ballet West members perform during a dress rehearsal of The Nutcracker at the Capitol Theatre Wednesday December 3, 2014.
Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Ballet West members perform during a dress rehearsal of The Nutcracker at the Capitol Theatre Wednesday December 3, 2014.
Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Ballet West members perform during a dress rehearsal of The Nutcracker at the Capitol Theatre Wednesday December 3, 2014.
Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Ballet West members perform during a dress rehearsal of The Nutcracker at the Capitol Theatre Wednesday December 3, 2014.
Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Ballet West members wait back stage during a dress rehearsal of The Nutcracker at the Capitol Theatre Wednesday December 3, 2014.
Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Ballet West members perform during a dress rehearsal of The Nutcracker at the Capitol Theatre Wednesday December 3, 2014.
Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Ballet West members perform during a dress rehearsal of The Nutcracker at the Capitol Theatre Wednesday December 3, 2014.
Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Ballet West members perform during a dress rehearsal of The Nutcracker at the Capitol Theatre Wednesday December 3, 2014.
Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Ballet West members wait back stage during a dress rehearsal of The Nutcracker at the Capitol Theatre Wednesday December 3, 2014.
Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Ballet West members perform during a dress rehearsal of The Nutcracker at the Capitol Theatre Wednesday December 3, 2014.
Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Ballet West members perform during a dress rehearsal of The Nutcracker at the Capitol Theatre Wednesday December 3, 2014.
Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Ballet West members perform during a dress rehearsal of The Nutcracker at the Capitol Theatre Wednesday December 3, 2014.
Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Ballet West members wait back stage during a dress rehearsal of The Nutcracker at the Capitol Theatre Wednesday December 3, 2014.
Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Ballet West members perform during a dress rehearsal of The Nutcracker at the Capitol Theatre Wednesday December 3, 2014.
Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Ballet West members wait back stage during a dress rehearsal of The Nutcracker at the Capitol Theatre Wednesday December 3, 2014.
Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Ballet West members perform during a dress rehearsal of The Nutcracker at the Capitol Theatre Wednesday December 3, 2014.
Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Ballet West members wait back stage during a dress rehearsal of The Nutcracker at the Capitol Theatre Wednesday December 3, 2014.
Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Ballet West members wait back stage during a dress rehearsal of The Nutcracker at the Capitol Theatre Wednesday December 3, 2014.
Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Ballet West Soloist Sayaka Ohtaki and Principal Rex Tilton perform during a dress rehearsal of The Nutcracker at the Capitol Theatre Wednesday December 3, 2014.
Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Ballet West Principal Arolyn Williams and First Soloist Christopher Sellers perform during a dress rehearsal of The Nutcracker at the Capitol Theatre Wednesday December 3, 2014.
Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune A stage hand reads a book behind a prop on stage as Principal Arolyn Williams and First Soloist Christopher Sellers perform during a dress rehearsal of The Nutcracker at the Capitol Theatre Wednesday December 3, 2014.
Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Ballet West Principal Arolyn Williams performs during a dress rehearsal of The Nutcracker at the Capitol Theatre Wednesday December 3, 2014.
Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Ballet West Principal Arolyn Williams and First Soloist Christopher Sellers perform during a dress rehearsal of The Nutcracker at the Capitol Theatre Wednesday December 3, 2014.
Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Ballet West members wait back stage during a dress rehearsal of The Nutcracker at the Capitol Theatre Wednesday December 3, 2014.
Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Ballet West First Soloist Beau Pearson waits back stage during a dress rehearsal of The Nutcracker at the Capitol Theatre Wednesday December 3, 2014.
