Clara is on the verge of growing up with dreams of traveling the world in the grand ballet. Then, during the annual Christmas party, the mysterious family friend, Drosselmeier, tells her a story about a young man named Hans who rescued a princess under a spell by the Mouse Queen and her whining son. As punishment for his good deed, the Mouse Queen managed to transform Hans into a nutcracker (prince of the dolls) before her death; the same nutcracker Drosselmeier gives to Clara that day. When midnight comes, Clara finds herself trapped in the middle of a battle between the mice and her toys being lead by the confused nutcracker. If the prince of the dolls can defeat the Mouse King and win the hand of a fair maiden, it can break the curse upon him. However, Clara must chose between the dreamworld of her new companion and his adventures or her real world where the dreams and adventures of growing up still await her.—Max Vaughn