It's the most wonderful time of the year and Detective Lieutenant Michael Maddalena of the Pittsfield Police Department is truly taking it to a new level, all the way to the stage of the Colonial Theater in the heart of The Berkshires.

According to The Berkshire Eagle, for the past ten years the veteran detective has watched his daughters participate in the Albany Berkshire Ballets local production of the holiday classic, "The Nutcracker".  He saw the how much work the show was to put on, wanted to get involved, and literally stepped up and on to the stage, taking on the roll of Mother Ginger. One of my favorite characters in the ballet, she dons a larger than life dress which hides "her children" underneath it, typically a group younger ballet dancers.

So, next weekend — and for one weekend only — Pittsfield Police Detective Lieutenant Maddalena will don large eyelashes, red lips and a hoop skirt wide enough to hide 10 young dancers as he makes his debut performance as Mother Ginger for the Albany Berkshire Ballet's performance of "The Nutcracker" at the Colonial Theater.

 

Detective Lieutenant Maddalena has no formal training in dance, however he has participated in more than ten rehearsals and even purchased his own copy of The Nutcracker on VHS (ahhh the nostalgia is real) to watch at home to really make sure he nails the part. I wonder if his fellow department members offered to help him practice? Football players have been known to cross train and work on flexibility using Ballet, why not cops? Now THAT, I would pay to see! Brings new meaning to "Men in Tights"

If you want to check out Detectives Maddalena's debut, he will be in this weekends productions of "The Nutcracker"  at The Colonial Theatre, grab your tickets and let's hear your reviews!!

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