Performed yearly by the Creative and Performing Arts Department, Christmas Gala at Northwestern State University of Louisiana has been a long loved tradition.

Despite last year’s Christmas Gala being adapted to a virtual format, according to Department Head of Theatre and Dance Brett Garfinkel, the event still had a good turn out.

In 2019, the Gala wasn’t held at NSU due to repairs and renovations in A.A. Frederick’s Performance Hall.
This year, Christmas Gala is making its return to campus.

“I, as well as everyone else, am beyond excited to get back on stage,” said Makenzie Scroggs, a sophomore dance major.
Scroggs has a role as a doll in the Christmas Gala and will be a part of the Demon Dazzlers’ finale piece.

“Everyone has been working incredibly hard to make this Gala so special since it has been so long since the last one was in person,” Scroggs said.

The theme of this year’s Gala is the popular tale, “The Nutcracker.” Garfinkel noted CAPA has added its own changes and twists to the classic holiday story.

One of the changes made was to make “The Nutcracker” more educational to the various grade schoolers who come to the morning showings

Gala’s “The Nutcracker” will also be more Louisiana related, complete with a change from the traditional rats and rat king to nutria rats and nutria rat king.

“It’ll all be much different than what most people are used to seeing,” Rebecca Morgan, an instructor for the play and professor of dance, said. “We will be having nutria costumes made by the costume department and will be having a canon as well for the battle scene.”

Gala isn’t exclusively put together by the Department of Creative and Performing Arts. It is a collaborative effort between the Demon Dazzlers, NSU Color Guard and individual CAPA students.

The Christmas Gala will take place on Dec. 1 at 7:00 p.m., Dec. 2 at 7:00 p.m. and Dec. 3 at 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.