Community Corner
Three Melrose Sisters Bring Holiday Magic to Austin Prep’s Nutcracker
Addison, Avery, and Ella Gill light up Austin Prep's Nutcracker with sisterly spirit and holiday cheer in a performance to remember
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Three Melrose Sisters Bring Holiday Magic to Austin Prep’s Nutcracker
For nearly three decades, Austin Prep’s Nutcracker has signaled the start of the holiday season with its blend of tradition, community, and student creativity. This year, Melrose has a special reason to celebrate. Three local sisters—Addison (Grade 6), Avery (Grade 8), and Ella Gill (Grade 10)—will share the stage together for the first time, bringing a uniquely family-centered spotlight to this beloved school production.
The sisters represent three different ages and three stages of their Austin Prep journeys, yet the Nutcracker has become the place where they connect, learn from one another, and experience the joy of performing side by side.
Where Holiday Magic Brings the Whole School Together
Austin Prep’s Nutcracker began in the mid-1990s with only a handful of students. Today it involves nearly 200 performers—about a quarter of the school—in roles that range from classical ballet to acting, comedy, and storytelling. Director Marla Pascucci-Byrne, known affectionately as Ms. P, has shaped the production into one of the most welcoming traditions on campus.
Ms. P, Chair of the Art & Design Department and longtime English and dance faculty member at Austin Prep, has directed and grown the school’s beloved Nutcracker production for more than three decades. She founded the school’s Dance Program and continues to shape the Nutcracker each year with the same creativity and care that define her teaching.
Ms. P says the Nutcracker is special because of how varied the cast members are in their gifts and talents.”I have had classically trained dancers, decorated athletes, and brand new students taking the stage for the first time together. They're all so excited for each other, and that's what makes it extremely special.”
For the Gill sisters, stepping into that environment together has brought a new sense of connection.
Addison, the youngest and newest to the production, said, “I’m really excited for us to be able to share something. We’re always busy with sports, and we don’t really get time to do things together. Doing this as a team feels really good.” She added, “I’m in a dance with a lot of my friends, and I’m excited to get to know Ms. P and all the older dancers. Everyone has been so welcoming.”
Her older sisters remember what it felt like to be sixth graders themselves—wide-eyed and mesmerized by the older dancers—and now enjoy the chance to guide her.
A Family Thread Woven Into the Heart of the Ballet
Avery, now in eighth grade, loves that this year brings all three sisters into the same show. “It’s very exciting because we all get to work together now,” she said. “Ella and I have experience, so we can show Addie how to do it. I’ve done a lot of these dances over the years, and now Addie gets to do them too. It feels like passing things on.”
She also enjoys seeing younger performers step into the roles she once held. “It’s like a little legacy. It’s funny to see younger kids performing the dances I used to do. They’re so excited, and I remember feeling the same way.”
Ella, the oldest, is entering her fourth Nutcracker and still feels the magic each year. She especially loves the energy backstage. “I love getting ready—everyone’s doing each other’s hair and makeup, there’s music playing, and everyone’s working together. It’s just so much fun.”
Avery, the middle sister, loves the sense of community as much as the performance itself. “I’m excited to be part of something again,” she said. “Everyone supports you and congratulates you on your roles, even if you’re understudying. It’s just a big, amazing community.” She added, “You see people doing the roles you used to do, and it brings you back. I love stepping into new roles because you get to imagine something different every year.”
One Stage, One Story, and a Melrose Family at Its Heart
Ms. P often notes how meaningful it is that the Nutcracker unites students across all grades, from sixth through twelfth. The Gill family is a perfect example—three sisters, three divisions of the school, all sharing the same stage.
For the girls, the production is not just a performance; it’s a rare chance to do something as a family. “We’re usually on different sports teams,” Avery said, “so this is something we finally get to do together.” Ella agreed: “It’s exciting to be on stage with them. Not many sisters get to do that.” And Addison summed it up simply: “It’s something we can all share.”
The Gill sisters will join nearly 200 fellow students at the Collins Center for the Performing Arts in Andover on December 15 and 16, 2025 at 7 p.m. What started decades ago as a small school tradition has grown into an event that fills the auditorium and brings the community together. This year, for one Melrose family, the tradition shines a little brighter—three sisters, one stage, and a Nutcracker they will remember for years to come.
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Interested in attending Austin Prep to experience traditions like this? Learn more about Austin Prep Arts, or fill out our inquiry form to begin your journey.
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