Was it the Mouse King? ‘Nutcracker’ props stolen from a Michigan ballet company

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CANTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — Did the Mouse King strike?

A ballet group in suburban Detroit is scrambling after someone stole a trailer filled with props for upcoming performances of the beloved holiday classic “The Nutcracker.”

The lost items include a grandfather clock and a Christmas tree that can be extended to 17 feet (5.1 meters).

"They’re things nobody could use, except in a theater,” said June Smith, artistic director at the Plymouth-Canton Ballet Company.

“The Nutcracker” is a musical ballet written by Tchaikovsky. A girl dreams of a battle between the villainous Mouse King and the Nutcracker.

The ballet group is raising money to try to replace the props in time for the Dec. 7-8 performances. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the company's first “Nutcracker.”

More than 80 students from 20 dance studios have been practicing for months, Smith said.

The missing black trailer is 24 feet (7.3 meters) long.

“This community has supported us for 40 years, and we’re confident that, together, we can overcome this challenge," Smith said.