IN THE PIPELINE:

Huntington Beach has a nice set of Christmas traditions that kick in during the holidays, like the big illuminated snowflakes on the pier and certainly the local productions of “The Nutcracker.”

Last week, I was stopping by the Ballet Repertory Theater at the Orange County Dance Center to watch the last-minute rehearsals before the big Saturday opening. Hopefully I’d be able to grab a word or two with at least a couple of the young ladies who’d earned the role of “Clara” this year (four different girls are portraying Clara over the course of 14 performances). I also wanted to talk with some of the other dancers and interview the director of the program.

The company has a terrific reputation for staging quality productions of the Christmas classic, thanks to Anthony Sellars, the artistic director of the Ballet Repertory Theater. For 31 years Sellars has been at the helm, and his hard work has resulted in a genuine holiday tradition here in Huntington Beach.

One performer I’d heard a lot about, Laurel Benson, is one of the girls playing Clara this season, and so I arrived to interview her about 4:30 p.m. I wasn’t in the building a minute when all of a sudden, a little girl was hurriedly being carried out by her mom and Sellars. It was Laurel Benson, who’d just sprained her ankle a couple of days before opening night as the star of the show. Could this really be happening? I’m sure this is not the sort of drama she’d signed up for.

All of a sudden, the premise for the column changed. My original intention was to focus on the incredible amount of family involvement that helps make the show a reality. Now it became: Will “Clara” be able to go on when the show opens?

Laurel’s mom, Laurie, told me later that evening that after getting a set of X-rays, it appeared nothing was broken. As to what would happen opening night, they were taking a wait-and-see attitude. I interviewed Laurel on the phone, and her spirits were strong. The thought of not performing the part she’d worked so hard to win didn’t even seem like an option to the Dwyer Middle School seventh-grader.

Back at the center, some of the other performers talked about their Nutcracker roles. Becky Coster, 12, another girl playing Clara, said it was the dream of a lifetime to have earned the part. Elle Macy, 14, plays a Lead Entertainer among several parts, and she’ll appear in every performance. She said she loves how the show is going and it’s one of the best she’s ever been in. Sydney Bloomgarden, 9, is a four-year veteran of the company and plays a party girl. Needless to say, she’s excited, too.

Sylvie Nguyen, whose daughter is also starring in the show, handles public relations for the production. As she describes it, the entire show is a labor of love that involves parents and siblings alike. Fathers dance in the show, mothers also perform, sew, manage things backstage and more. Though it’s common for families to lend a hand in these settings, Nguyen says she’s never seen an outpouring like what happens here. When I talk to Anthony Sellars, he agrees. For 31 years, Sellars, a dancer himself, has made the show happen (along with his wife, Terri).

“It’s been a wonderful experience,” he says. And each year some of the veterans return just to watch, which is always interesting. But we get so much help from the families. It’s incredible.”

As for opening night? Well, just like in the movies, Laurel Benson bit the bullet, played through the pain and from what I hear, nailed it. She seemed cool and calm as she described the show afterward, though I’m sure family and friends were all nervous wrecks. Such are the lessons our kids can teach us adults sometimes. While we fret and worry and sweat it out, they simply do what one is supposed to do, smiling all the while and taking well-deserved bows.

This holiday season, it’s busy for all of us. But take some time to go see a hardworking bunch of kids put on a quality show at the Golden West College Theater. And if you’re lucky enough to see Laurel Benson in the role of Clara, perhaps clap a little louder. You may not be able to tell, but that ankle of hers may still be smarting a bit. Though you’d never know from her sparkling attitude.

Review of the show? Post it In The Pipeline, www.hbindependent.com/ columns.

CHRIS EPTING is the author of nine books including his latest, “Led Zeppelin Crashed Here, The Rock and Roll Landmarks of North America.” He also hosts “The Pop Culture Road Trip” radio show on webtalkradio.net.