Nutcracker 2025 Cast

Tanja Alemany (Maid) is a mom of two teenage girls and has been tapping for over 10 years. This marks her first stage experience as an adult, and she is excited to embrace this new challenge. She loves to travel—especially to her home country, Switzerland, and to Puerto Rico, where her husband of 24 years is from. A big Atlanta United fan, Tanja stays busy keeping up with all her daughters’ activities and looks forward to being part of this year’s The Nutcracker production.

Emily Batuello (Party Adult) has always loved dance, particularly classical ballet. She grew up dancing and participated in The Nutcracker as a youth for many years. This will be her second year of performing as a party adult in the Sawnee Ballet Theatre's production. Her daughter Reagan is a current SBT company member. Emily is a mother of 4 children and 3 fur babies. She loves animals (particularly dogs) and enjoys volunteering at Furkids Animal Rescue and Shelters on a regular basis. 

Cas D’Angelo (Grandparent) is the proud parent of company member Catherine D’Angelo. He brings extensive experience in father/daughter line dancing and a lifelong love of performing. Cas’s dance journey began in high school, where he danced to Broadway classics and acted in musicals such as The Music Man. After an extended hiatus from the stage, he is thrilled to return to the spotlight with Sawnee Ballet Theatre for this season’s production of The Nutcracker.

Kristen Featsent (Mrs. Silverhaus) has been dancing since childhood, training in jazz, ballet, hip hop, tap, and more. She performed for over 15 years, including opportunities in Russia with her dance team and in London’s New Year’s Day Parade as a UCA All-Star cheerleader. In college, she danced for the University of Kentucky Pom Squad and later performed professionally as a Georgia Force Cheerleader.

After building a career in Sales and Marketing and embracing motherhood, Kristen returned to the stage through ballroom and, eventually, West Coast Swing—a style she loves. When she’s not homeschooling or cheering on her two teens, she enjoys yoga, outdoor activities, and living life to the fullest.

Chandra Formaggioni (Grandparent) holds a minor in Dance Choreography from Berry College and is a proud member of the National Creative Society. Her dedication to the art of dance has earned her awards in choreography, recognizing her ability to merge technical precision with creative expression. With a passion for inspiring dancers to explore both technique and artistry, she strives to bring energy and storytelling to every performance. She has taught at numerous studios around Georgia specializing in tap, jazz, ballet, pointe, lyrical, and ballroom. In addition to serving on the faculty of the Sawnee School of Ballet in the past, she continues to be a guest instructor and choreographer at the Sawnee School of the Arts, where her work has been celebrated by both students and audiences. Chandra is honored to appear as an adult performer in this season’s production of The Nutcracker and looks forward to sharing the stage in celebration of this timeless holiday tradition.ion goes here

Christina Hart (Party Adult) is thrilled to return to the stage in this year’s production of The Nutcracker, performing as a Party Adult. A passionate educator, Christina is an elementary music teacher who loves sharing the joy of the arts both in the classroom and on stage. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for SBT and is the proud mom of a company dancer. Christina is honored to be part of this cherished holiday tradition and is grateful to share the magic of the season with family, friends, and the community.

Olivia Mallory (Maid) is delighted to be rejoining the cast of The Nutcracker after performing as a party adult in 2023. She has danced and performed on and off throughout her life and is excited to reignite her passion for the arts in this year’s production.

Amy Lynn Mavis (Party Adult) is excited to return for her second year as a party adult in Sawnee Ballet Theatre’s The Nutcracker. A seasoned dance mom, she enjoys taking evening dance classes—especially tap—as a fun way to stay young and connected to the art of dance. This year is particularly special as she joins her daughter and husband on stage in the Act I Party Scene, making it a true family affair.

Kyle Mavis (Party Adult) is thrilled to return for his second year as a performer in Sawnee Ballet Theatre’s The Nutcracker. With no prior dance training, Kyle has embraced the challenge and joy of being part of the production. He is especially grateful for the supportive and talented SBT team, who have made the entire experience both enjoyable and fulfilling.

Jessica McBrayer (Party Adult) began dancing at Sawnee School of Ballet at the age of six and performed for several years with Sawnee Ballet Theatre, under the direction of Joan Kall Stewart. Being part of the Sawnee Ballet community instilled in her a deep appreciation for the arts and taught lifelong lessons in discipline, confidence, and creativity. Now a mom of two daughters who also dance at the school, Jessica is thrilled to return to the stage this year and share in The Nutcracker, a cherished holiday tradition that holds special meaning for her, with her girls.

Jon McBrayer (Party Adult) grew up in Cumming and remembers attending Sawnee Ballet Theatre’s Nutcracker performances as a child. Now, years later, he’s excited to be part of the same production, this time on stage with his own family. His wife, Jessica, danced for many years with Sawnee School of Ballet and Sawnee Ballet Theatre, and their two daughters now carry on that tradition through Sawnee School of the Arts. While Jon didn’t grow up dancing himself, he’s come to appreciate the dedication, creativity, and strong sense of community that dance brings. Being involved in this year’s production alongside his wife and daughters has been a meaningful and memorable experience.

Veronica McClanahan (Maid) is thrilled to make her debut in The Nutcracker with Sawnee School of the Arts. A lifelong lover of the arts, Veronica began dancing at the age of five and discovered her passion for ballroom in her early teens. She has spent the past 13 years training in ballroom dance and is now in her second year of adult classes at Sawnee, where she continues to study ballet, jazz, and tap. In addition to her love of dance, Veronica is a dedicated vocal instructor with a background in opera, jazz, and musical theater. She is currently completing her final year of graduate school in clinical mental health counseling, where she hopes to integrate creativity and expression into her future therapeutic practice. Veronica is deeply grateful to the director, cast, and crew for this incredible opportunity, and to her family and friends for their unwavering love and support.

Tom Moore (Grandparent) began line dancing in 2011, and within a few years, he discovered couples dancing, sparking a deeper passion for the art. Committed to his craft, Tom pursued private and group lessons in ballroom, Latin, country, and swing styles. His enthusiasm quickly grew, leading him to perform in biannual showcases. Driven by his love for dance, Tom entered the country western dance circuit, where he competed successfully and found great joy sharing his passion. Today, he’s recognized as one of the smoothest dancers at Club 201 in Alpharetta, Georgia. Tom has performed in Club 201’s annual holiday Christmas shows, alongside the Alpharetta City Band at North Point Mall, and in productions at the Cumming Playhouse Theater. His dedication and charisma continue to inspire dancers of all levels.

Ella Rain Pennington (Maid) is a student at the University of North Georgia and a proud member of the GTA theatre program. She is an artist, actress, cat lover, and dancer. Ella sincerely thanks her friends and family for their unwavering support and wishes everyone a wonderful experience of The Nutcracker.

Jessica Praskovich (Grandparent) grew up in Pittsburgh, PA, where she attended ballet classes throughout high school. Her passion for dance continues today as she dances at Sawnee School of the Arts. She is thrilled to be part of her first Nutcracker performance, especially alongside her daughter.

Jessi Barker Shrout (Mrs. Silverhaus) is excited to return to SBT for this 34th Anniversary Nutcracker.  She began her ballet training as one of Joan Kall Stewart’s first students when Sawnee School of Ballet opened in 1990. She worked her way up the Nutcracker ranks from Little Angel to Snow Queen, though her favorite role to perform was always Arabian Queen. She is honored to perform alongside her daughter, SBT Company Member Evie Shrout, who is performing as the Soldier Doll, Lead Russian, and a Snowflake. Dr. Shrout is an Associate Professor of Biology and the Chair of the Math & Science Department at Brenau University in Gainesville, GA.