Nutcracker & Grinch Audition Registration 2026

Audition Form Information

This audition form is being used for Nutcracker, Grinch & Trainee Auditions. Please read the form carefully.

New this year:

Safe Haven Ballet is hosting auditions on Sunday, August 30th at our studio location of 200 Chase Drive in Portsmouth, NH. Additionally, Elite Dance Experience is also hosting auditions at their studio at 487 Groton Road, in Westford, MA.

This audition form is for both SHB and Elite auditions. Some information will pertain to only SHB audtions. If it is for SHB only, it will be prefaced with, "SHB ONLY." If there is no specification, it is for both SHB and Elite to fill out, so please be careful when completing the form.

If you have any questions pertaining to this form, please reach out to Joy at joy@safehavenballet.org. We are so excited that you are joining us for the most magical time of the year! Please save any information in this audition form that you will need to remember. Example: dates and times, etc.

After completing this form, please check your email for important info.

Are you auditioning at Safe Haven Ballet or Elite Dance Experience?

Who is filling this form out, dancer or parent/guardian?

Which audition time frame listed above does the dancer plan to attend?

Dancer First Name

Dancer Last Name

Dancer Age

Dancer Gender

Dance School/Company Name

Dancer Phone Number

Parent/Guardian Name (if under 18)

Parent/Guardian Phone Number

Dancer Email (all communication is done through email)

Parent/Guardian Email (if dancer is 17 and under)

Emergency Contact Name

Emergency Contact Number

Relationship to Dancer

Facebook name (please request to join our private FB group, Safe Haven Ballet Community)

Years of Ballet

Years on pointe

How many ballet classes do currently you take per week?

Please check the boxes for what the dancer is auditioning for: Nutcracker Trainee (ages 12-18) How the Grinch Stole Christmas (ages 12+) (Thursday night rehearsals)

Performance/Costume Fee:

Nutcracker: $60

Grinch: $60

Both Nutcracker & Grinch: $100

A link will be sent to you to pay the fee after your regisration is complete. Please check your email for the info email coming!

Show selection

Cast members must select which shows they will be commiting to, and the options will be listed below. Dancers MUST be available for the entire show day from 7:00am-10pm, no exceptions, even though arrival times and departure times vary per venue and will be given closer to the date of the show. We do not have tech or dress rehearsals any other day of the week, only on show day. This saves time for everyone!

Special Venue Opportunity!

Omni Mount Washington Resort!

Saturday, December 19th at 5:00pm

This special dinner performance will be in the newly renovated ballroom with dinner from the luxury Omni Hotel to be included. You can add this single show date to Option 1 or Option 2 below, but it can not be selected on it's own.

Check the box/s for which shows you are committing to perform in. You must be able to commit to all of the shows in the boxes you select. Option 1: November 27th in Concord, November 28th in Lowell and November 29th in Laconia Option 2: December 6th in Nashua, December 12th in Durham, and December 13th in Derry Add on show, ONLY available if you selected Option 1 or 2: December 19th at Omni Mt. Washington All 7 Nutcracker Shows Grinch: November 20th in Portland, ME, December 5th in Claremont, NH, and December 20th in Concord, NH

Mandatory Rehearsal Schedule

(Elite will have their rehearsal schedule determined by Eva on Saturday mornings begining September 19th, however, Elite will be required to attend the Sunday rehearsals with Safe Haven Ballet on November 15th and November 22nd.)

SHB ONLY: Mandatory Rehearsal Schedule. Dancers must be available from 2:30pm-8:30pm on rehearsal days. Dancers will most likely not be scheduled for the full rehearsal time on Sundays, but could be scheduled anywhere in that time frame. There will be full run throughs on rehearsal days closer to the shows that will require dancers to be at the studio for longer. *Younger children start September 20th/27th.

*SHB ONLY: NUTCRACKER Cast members will not be allowed to have any conflicts or miss the following rehearsals: Sunday, November 8th, Sunday, November 15th, and Sunday, November 22nd. If any other weekend rehearsal needs to be missed due to a previous conflict or sickness, the dancer will be required to schedule and pay for a 30 minute private lesson with Ryan Martin to get caught up on missed material and notes before the next Sunday rehearsal.*

Sunday, September 13th
Sunday, September 20th
Sunday, September 27th
Sunday, October 4th
Sunday, October 11th
Sunday, October 18th
Sunday, October 25th
Sunday, November 1st
Sunday, November 8th* Mandatory, no exceptions
Sunday, November 15th* Mandatory, no exceptions
Sunday, November 22nd* Mandatory, no exceptions

*SHB ONLY: GRINCH Cast members will not be allowed to have any conflicts or miss the following rehearsals: Thursday, October 8th, Thursday, November 12th, Thursday, November 19th, Thursday, December 3rd, and Thursday, December 17th. If any other rehearsal needs to be missed due to a previous conflict or sickness, the dancer will be required to schedule and pay for a 30 minute private lesson with Ryan Martin to get caught up on missed material and notes before the next Thursday rehearsal.*

Thursday, October 8th* Mandatory, no exceptions
Thursday, October 15th
Thursday, October 22nd
Thursday, October 29th
Thursday, November 5th
Thursday, November 12th* Mandatory, no exceptions
Sunday, November 15th
Thursday, November 19th* Mandatory, no exceptions
Thursday, December 3rd* Mandatory, no exceptions
Thursday, December 17th* Mandatory, no exceptions

SHB ONLY: Please list rehearsal dates above that you are unable to attend.

SHB ONLY: Please explain why as conflicts will impact casting:

Casting Volunteers

NUTCRACKER & GRINCH: Parents of cast members ages 17 and under are required to volunteer for at least one show. **Please note, if you have a child performing who is 9 and under, you must volunteer to be a backstage monitor at least once!** We will need backstage monitors (who will be background checked by Safe Haven Ballet) and boutique volunteers. Backstage monitors will be required to be there with young children at the venue (most of the show day) and boutique volunteers will need to arrive 2 hours prior to the show time. Details will be sent to you depending on your sign up position. You will put your preferences on this form, but a volunteer signup will be emailed to all parents to register when it gets closer to the show date.

Will you be volunteering at a show?

Will you be volunteering as a backstage monitor? yes, my dancer is 9 & under no, my dancer is 10+ no, I’m a dancer who is over 18

Will you be volunteering at the boutique? yes no, i’m volunteering as a backstage monitor no, I’m a dancer who is over 18

Hand Sewing/Steaming

NUTCRACKER & GRINCH: 1 hour of hand sewing or steaming required per cast member for both Nutcracker and Grinch on a Sunday/Thursday rehearsal day in the SHB studio (parent, grandparent, or dancer can complete the hour) OR you can submit a $50 sewing/steaming fee ($100 if in both Nutcracker & Grinch) instead of volunteering. A sign up sheet will be sent out to those who want to volunteer & a payment link will be sent to those who want to pay the sewing fee. If you choose to volunteer, you must already know how to hand sew or steam as we won't have the manpower to teach you.

*Will you be volunteering one hour (per cast member) of hand sewing or paying the $50 (per cast member/per production) sewing fee? Hand Sewing/Steaming $50 Fee (Only in 1 Production) $100 Fee (Both Productions) $50 Fee for 1 production + 1 hour of sewing/steaming

Missed Show Days

A new Safe Haven Ballet policy: Moving forward, if a cast member misses a show day for any reason, there will be a missed show day fee of $100 per show, unless you can provide a doctor's note. *Only applicable to show days you signed up for.* There are many moving pieces when putting a large ballet production together, and when cast members miss show days, it makes for a challenging day for everyone. In deciding to put this policy into place, we hope that there will be fewer missed show days not related to illness. Please note that a doctor's note will need to be provided to avoid the fee.

Missed Show Day Fee In checking this box, I agree to pay the "Missed Show Day Fee" of $100 if I am unable to attend a show day. If I am sick, I will produce a doctor's note or pay the fine.

New Phone Policy

No phones in the wings/deck - No videos or photos of the SHB performance or dress rehearsal - only approved SHB personnel may take photos and videos in the wings and on deck. Must receive approval from the director for any photos or videos of the SHB performance posted to social media.

New Phone Policy In checking this box, I agree to the new backstage policy of no phones in the wings/deck. I will not take photos of the performance or dress rehearsal. If I have photos of the performance that I'd like to post to social media, I will receive approval from the director before posting.

SHB ONLY: Mandatory Meeting

Please mark your calendar, there will be a mandatory 5 minute parent meeting after each audition slot for all parents of dancers 17 and under on the audition day, Sunday, August 30th.

Please read our Code of Conduct.

I have read and agree to the Code of Conduct.

Please read our Waivers.

I have read and agree to the waivers.

Please provide any information here that you would like Safe Haven Ballet to know. Questions, concerns, dancer injuries, comments, anything!

After submitting your audition form, please check your email for important information. We are so excited that you will be joining us for the most wonderful time of the year. Thank you- See you at auditions!