December 8, 2025
Music and spectacular dancing by the South Mississippi Ballet Theatre (SMBT) created a magical experience as hundreds attended The Nutcracker at The Brownstone Center for the Arts on the Poplarville Campus of Pearl River Community College. The company held three performances between Dec. 6 and 7; a tradition begun when the Brownstone opened in 2013.
The Nutcracker returns each holiday season to remind audiences why it remains one of the world’s most beloved ballets. Since its first performances in the late 1960s, the mix of Tchaikovsky’s sweeping music, dazzling costumes and spirited choreography has created an atmosphere of pure enchantment. This year’s production continued the tradition, drawing cheers for its polished technique and the charm of its youngest performers.
A cast of dancers brought Clara’s enchanting Christmas Eve journey to the stage, complete with hand-painted sets and intricate costumes that turned the theater into a world of fantasy. The production showcased a young but remarkably poised cast, whose artistry rivaled that of seasoned dancers. For the performances at PRCC, Edmond Baghdasaryan of Armenia danced the role of the Cavalier.
“The cast is incredibly dedicated and disciplined,” said SMBT Founder Katya Orohovsky. “Aside from a few faculty members, everything is done by parents and community volunteers. We have volunteers for costumes and every other part of the production, so it’s truly a community effort.
“We change things up a little each year to showcase our dancers’ strengths, but we never water anything down. The Snow and Flowers and Sugar Plum choreography is the original — they either can do it or they can’t.”
Crowds from around south Mississippi gathered to experience the show together. Some came to honor a favorite holiday tradition, while others turned out to support friends and family members bringing The Nutcracker to life.
Carissa and Samuel Rosten came from Hattiesburg with their three sons, Peter, Joseph, and Michael, to support their babysitter, Adison Bolton, who was one of the adult party guests. The boys all enjoyed the experience.
“My favorite part was where the guy was spinning around like five times in the air,” said Peter Rosten. “Then he jumped and landed on one foot.”
South Mississippi Ballet Theatre (SMBT)
Based in Hattiesburg, SMBT was founded by Arkadiy and Katya Orohovsky in 2010 to offer a pre-professional ballet curriculum and bring the art of classical ballet to the area. Their goal is “to educate both children and adults about the training, culture, and history of classical ballet while offering them a chance to pursue the art in whatever capacity they choose.”
Learn more about SMBT at southmsballet.org/index.php.
Upcoming Events at the Brownstone
The spring semester has several performances scheduled. Ticket sales are currently open for:
The Molly Ringwalds – Jan. 26 at 7 p.m.
Variety Show featuring PRCC Choral Groups – March 3 at 7 p.m.
Little Shop of Horrors – April 9 & 10 at 7 p.m.; April 11 at 2 p.m.
Symphonic Band – April 14 at 7 p.m.
JazzCats – April 21 at 7 p.m.
Spring Pops featuring PRCC Choral Groups – April 23 at 7 p.m.
Purchase your tickets at prcc.edu/brownstone/events
For the latest news on Pearl River Community College, visit PRCC.edu and follow us on Twitter (@PRCC_Wildcats), Instagram (PRCCWILDCATS), Facebook (@PRCCMKTG), and TikTok (@prcc_wildcats).
Article by Laura O’Neill. Photography by Patrick Peerboom.
