DOVER — The 25th anniversary for The Ballet Theatre of Dover’s staging of “The Nutcracker” will take place at Dover High School Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 2 and 7 p.m.

A Nutcracker Meet and Greet, where guests will get to have their pictures taken with characters and receive a gift, will take place Saturday from 4 to 5 p.m. in the Dover High School Theatre lobby.

Amanda Tedesco, 16, will dance the dual role of Clara and the Sugar Plum Fairy. Other primary roles will be danced by Lauren Miles and Trinity August in the roles of Snow Queen and DewDrop.

At a party one Christmas Eve, Clara receives a Nutcracker doll that nobody wanted because of its ugliness. At midnight, to defend Clara against an army of rats, a battle ensues between the rats and the soldier dolls that came alive under the Christmas tree, led by a life-sized Nutcracker doll.

After the Battle Scene, where Clara distracts the Rat King, allowing the Nutcracker soldier doll to run him through with his sword, Clara meets her Nutcracker soldier doll who has now been transformed into a handsome Prince. She has broken the spell that kept him in the body of an ugly doll. A young girl has risked her life to save him.

In gratitude and love, he takes her on a journey to his Kingdom through the Land of Snow. There, he is greeted by the CandyCanes, different residents of the Gingerbread House (BonBons, Gumdrops, Ribbon Fairy, gingerbreads, the Chef), characters from Spain (Chocolate), Arabia (Coffee), China (Chinese), Marzipans, and a whole meadowof wildflowers, who celebrate the return of their Prince and the girl who saved him.

Clara dances with the characters from the Kingdom of Sweets.

At the end, Clara wakes up in her chair in the drawing room. Was it all a dream? Or a glimpse into her future?

Dover High School is located on Del. 8 in Dover.

Tickets are. $25 for adults, $15 for seniors and students and $12 for children 10 and under.

To purchase tickets, visit here or the Dance Conservatory, 522 Otis Drive, Dover.