ORONO – The Robinson Ballet Company invites the public to attend the performance of the “Nutcracker,” a timeless tale of Christmas dreams come to life with Clara and her beloved toy, the Nutcracker.

As the clock strikes midnight strange things begin to happen.

The audience will be enchanted by fairies, dolls, soldiers, angels, a snow queen, a snow prince and, of course, the rat king. All are brought to magical life by Robinson Ballet Company with music by Bangor Symphony Orchestra.

The Nutcracker will be presented at these times:

. 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2; 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 2, at the Maine Center for the Arts, University of Maine, Orono. For ticket prices and reservations, contact the Bangor Symphony Orchestra, (800) 639.3221, 942.5555 or online at www.bangorsymphony.com.

. 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 16-17, at The Grand Auditorium, Ellsworth. Tickets are $16, $15 for seniors and $8 children. To purchase tickets, call The Grand box office at (866) 363-9500 or 667-9500, or online at www.grandonline.org.

Robinson Ballet announced that it has two new Christmas trees in this year’s production. The new “traveling” Christmas tree grows to 16 feet in height and the MCA Christmas tree grows to 18 feet in height. Both trees were designed and built by teams of students in the University of Maine School of Engineering Technology.

This fall, the board of directors of Robinson Ballet and the Friends of Robinson Ballet launched the third year of a campaign called Color for Costumes to help raise funds for Nutcracker performances. They are asking the greater Bangor community to help Robinson Ballet buy new costumes and repair existing and heirloom costumes, “grow” a new Christmas tree, hire a professional set designer, upgrade the sets and buy new lighting equipment.

The Color for Costumes campaign features a coloring contest with four original ready-to-color illustrations based on characters from Nutcracker performances.

A campaign gift will help make this magical fairy tale ballet an inspiration in the minds and hearts of our children and ensure that Nutcracker productions are forever enchanting.

Coloring books may be obtained at the Bangor Public Library, Robinson Ballet School of Dance at 107 Union St. or the Maine Discovery Museum.