"The Nutcracker" is, in every way, like a dream. Clara, Fritz, and Marie’s journey is a magical mix of familiar feelings and fantastical spectacle. Everyone recognizes Tchaikovsky’s indelible score and the characters’ sense of childlike wonderment. But dancing flowers and snowflakes? Toys coming to life? These could only come from one’s wildest imagination or deepest subconscious. But "The Nutcracker" isn’t a dream. You’ll know, simply because you cannot shut your eyes.