While a bit of magic is needed to bring the Nutcracker prince to life at midnight, the production of the classic ballet at Stephens Auditorium is created through hard work.

The cast and crew have been battling inclement weather to attend a week of dress rehearsals for “The Nutcracker” that can stretch on for hours into a night, and they have only taken one weekend off since September.

But they said they don’t mind the time commitment.

“It’s hard to think of anything I don’t love about it,” said Ellen Mullen, assistant to the directors and ballet mistresses and dancer, who portrays the mother of the main character. She is also the mother to three daughters who dance in the production.

“The music is beautiful, the dance is beautiful,” she said. “It’s a great established tradition.”

But that hasn’t always been the case. When Robert Thomas and Miyoko Kato Thomas choreographed the ballet for Stephens in 1981, it was relatively unknown.

“The Nutcracker” had been well established on the East Coast, where Robert first encountered it, but “only a few people even knew what it was” in central Iowa.

But the “streamlined, clean-cut version” he produced attracted attention, nearly selling out.

Since then, the two have continued to serve as co-artistic directors and co-choreographers each year, and the production has continued to grow.

“The interest seems higher than ever,” Robert said. “Now it’s a major holiday … in central Iowa.”

Over the years, the cast has tripled in size, the ballet has been extended by nearly 20 minutes and the choreography, sets and costumes have been embellished.

Those who have worked on the production have become a close knit group as well.

“There’s a lot of fun behind the scenes and people really do bond,” Mullen said.

Many people stay involved with the ballet for years, growing into different roles. Some start their Nutcracker careers as dancers and grow into roles as teachers, choreographers or volunteers.

The Thomases, Mullen and many other choreographers and technical directors have been involved with the production of “The Nutcracker” since the beginning.

For many, the Nutcracker has also become a family tradition.

Mullen said one of the things she looks forward to each year is dancing alongside her daughters, and Robert Thomas said that up to three generations of his family have shared the stage at times.

Thomas said occasionally a son or daughter will dance the same part their mother or father did years before.

A favorite part of his job as artistic director is the variety of responsibilities he has. Along with his wife, he is in charge of supervising “anything that goes before the public,” a list that includes makeup, lighting, costumes and set design, among other things.

To accomplish this goal and give the ballet a unified look, the Thomases carefully choose their staff and choreographers, work with the dancers and the director of Stephens and keep an eye on the budget.

In the end, the months of work by hundreds of people are all for one goal: “Dance is our main love,” Thomas said. “It’s the heart and soul of what we do.”

“The Nutcracker Ballet”

Where: Stephens Auditorium

When: 1:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 1:30 p.m. Sunday

Cost: $18 or $20 — a $2 discount for ISU students, people under 18 and more than 55

“The Nutcracker” is the story of a young girl, a prince and a dream they share. It is set to Tchaikovsky’s famous score. The ballet has been performed at Stephens each December for more than 25 years. Choreography is by Robert Thomas and Miyoko Kato Thomas of the Dancenter and includes more than 100 local dancers and performers.

Where: Stephens Auditorium

When: 1:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 1:30 p.m. Sunday

Cost: $18 or $20 — a $2 discount for ISU students, people under 18 and more than 55

“The Nutcracker” is the story of a young girl, a prince and a dream they share. It is set to Tchaikovsky’s famous score. The ballet has been performed at Stephens each December for more than 25 years. Choreography is by Robert Thomas and Miyoko Kato Thomas of the Dancenter and includes more than 100 local dancers and performers.