The Ballet Guild of the Lehigh Valley (BGLV) - Pennsylvania Youth Ballet present its 53rd annual production of the “Nutcracker,” the longest-running production of its kind in the Lehigh Valley, 2 p.m. Dec. 11 and 12, Zoellner Arts Center, Lehigh University, 420 E. Packer Avenue, Bethlehem.

This year’s “Nutcracker” has the largest male cast in the history of the BGLV production because, in part, of the “Boys Dance Free” program, which encourages boys to take dance classes.

“We’ve always had boys. In fact, that was a goal when I came in as artistic director, to have more boys in the ‘Party Scene’ [of ‘Nutcracker’],” says BGLV Artistic Director Karen Kroninger Knerr.

“Over the years, we’ve had our initiative, the Boys Dance Free program. We can really see that it is starting to grow,” Kroninger Knerr says in a phone interview.

There are 14 boys in the cast, from age 6 and up. Two boys took on more advanced roles and will partner with girls in the “Arabian” dance as demi-soloists. Five boys will perform as polichinelles in the “Mother Ginger” scene.

There will be a cast of nearly 100 professional, pre-professional and student performers.

Guest artists are Dayesi Torriente (Sugar Plum Fairy), principal dancer with the Philadelphia Ballet (formerly Pennsylvania Ballet) Arian Molina Soca (Cavalier), principal dancer with Philadelphia Ballet, Malik Berry (Snow King, Arabian Lead), formerly with Complexions Contemporary Ballet, and returning performer, Tevin Johnson (Candy Cane Lead, Harlequin), faculty, theater department, City College of Manhattan.

Natalie Hedrick, BGLV alumni, teacher and ballet mistress, will perform as the Snow Queen.

There is new choreography for the Lead Angels and Arabian Attendants and new costumes for Arabian Attendants and the corps of Snow and “Waltz of the Flowers.”

“Last year [because of the COVID-19 pandemic], we did a live-stream of the full performance,” says BGLV President Jennifer L. Altemose. “There was no audience. We were very protective of the cast.

“This year, knowing we were going to go live, we thought we’re gonna go for it. By the middle of September, Karen had a full cast. Everybody came back, plus new people. Everybody is so excited to do this again,” says Altemose in a phone interview.

Dancers wore face masks during rehearsals.

“Our goal was to do everything possible to get this production up on the stage, with everybody healthy and a full audience. We took all possible precautions and are following all of Zoellner’s protocols,” says Altemose.

As a health precaution, this year’s BGLV “Nutcracker” will not include a live orchestra. The 50-member orchestra, South Side Sinfonietta, under the direction of Eugene Albulescu of Lehigh University, is expected to return for the production next year.

“It would not have been the responsible and prudent thing to do,” says Altemose. “They will absolutely be back next year. It’s still going to be a glorious performance.”

Student performers include Kate Jellison (Clara), 6th grade, Joseph P. Liberati Intermediate School, Southern Lehigh School District; Francesca Reto, 7th grade, Immaculate Conception, Pen Argyl School District; Ella Ebert (Arabian Lead), 11th grade, Liberty High School, Bethlehem Area School District; Cecily Reed, 7th grade, home-school, and Mai Hukuoka (Dew Drop), 11th grade, Parkland High School, Parkland School District.

“In March of 2020, we went almost immediately to online classes,” says Altemose. “We didn’t interrupt our instruction. We’ve always been extremely cautious and followed all the rules.

“In a sense, there was a hiatus for the rest of the world, but we kept going. It’s not like it was easy. There was no playbook,” Altemose says.

Three free performances for area students will be offered as in previous years, with students socially-distanced in every other seat.

Approximately 200 students from the Boys and Girls Club of Bethlehem, Allentown, Easton, and Northeast Ministries will attend public performances, through funding from the Martin Cohen Family Foundation and Cohen, Feeley, Altemose & Rambo. Crayola Experience and RCN Corp. are also donors.

Kroninger Knerr says there’s a renewed energy in the studio when students rehearse.

“They’re thrilled to be back,” says Kroninger Knerr.

“The arts are necessary. To my core, I believe that. We zigged and zagged when we needed to, but we didn’t stop. People are craving to see live theater again,” Kroninger Knerr says.

“If there’s a silver lining from this thing,” says Altemose, “it has deepened the appreciation of everything that people do to perform, from the parents to the students.”

Tickets: www.zoellnerartscenter.org; 610-758-2787