'The Hip Hop Nutcracker'

Nov. 24-25: Roll over, Tchaikovsky. "Nutcrackers" are de rigueur at the holidays, but this one, choreographed and directed by Jennifer Weber, promises to be very different. Weber is artistic director of Decadancetheatre, an all-female hip-hop crew from Brooklyn. She has kept Tchaikovsky's sweeping score and reset the story as an urban fairy tale — two lovers try to get together and a hater gets in their way. "The Hip Hop Nutcracker" boasts a special MC — rap legend Kurtis Blow of "The Breaks" and "Christmas Rappin' " fame. Blow is in his mid-50s, which makes him a grandfather of rap who also qualifies for AARP membership. (7:30 p.m. Nov. 24-25. $19-$48. Ordway Center, 5th and Washington Sts., St. Paul. 651-224-4222, ordway.org.)

Rohan Preston