LAKE PLACID — A timeless holiday classic spins sugarplum dreams in The Nutcracker Ballet presented by the Lake Placid Center for the Arts.

North Country residents can catch the show this weekend in Lake Placid and next weekend in Plattsburgh at the Strand Theatre.

“This year we are excited to do a full-scale production of Nutcracker starring local community members, dancers from around the regions as well as some of their families and adult friends,” James Lemons, LPCA executive director, said.

The ballet is produced by the Lake Placid Center for the Arts.

“We inherited it from the North Country Ballet Ensemble,” he said.

“They passed it to us, and we are producing it. We have a lot of the same cast and a lot of the same choreographies from previous productions of it with some updates throughout. But Alice Schonbek, who has been with it for about 35 years, is back directing the production this year.”

There are 55 people in the corps including guest artists and local dancers.

Rehearsals began mid-September.

“It’s a very tight dressing room space,” Lemons said.

“Finding room for everyone is always a challenge particularly backstage, both here and over at the Strand. The biggest challenge is this is the first full-scale production that we’ve had since the pandemic,” he added. “Navigating the challenges and the changes that we’ve all gone through over the past number of years has probably been our biggest challenge.

“It’s just A, remembering how we used to do it, and then making sure that those policies and procedures and everything are still effective,” he said. “We’re really thrilled about it. We are just happy to have everyone back on stage again.”

Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for kids. Performances at the LPCA are scheduled for 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday. Shows at the Strand Theatre in Plattsburgh are scheduled for 1 p.m. on Dec. 3 and 1 p.m. on Dec. 4. More information is available at lakeplacidarts.org.