The Portland Ballet has taken a bold move as it performs the world premiere of John Clifford's "A Christmas Carol: The Ballet" this Thanksgiving weekend -- and a Dundee dancer will be part of the action.

Founders Nancy Davis and Jim Lane decided to return to live performances by going big and commissioning a whole new ballet. And Dundee native Sarah Morgan will have a role in it.

"Sarah performs as a party couple in Christmas Past and as a ghost and townsperson in Christmas Future," said Laura Grimes, marketing and public relations manager for The Portland Ballet. "She's also an understudy in a waltz scene in Christmas Present."

A seventh-grade student at Mountain View Middle School, Morgan has been studying ballet for seven years and has also trained at Marchant Dance Corp. in Amity.

The Portland Ballet production will attempt to put a fresh spin on Charles Dickens' familiar tale of Ebenezer Scrooge with all new choreography, an original score by Karl Moraski and new scenic designs by Kim Morris.

Shows are slated for 1 and 4 p.m. Nov. 27-28 at Lincoln Performance Hall at Portland State University, 1620 S.W. Park at Market in downtown Portland. The show will run 50 minutes with no intermission. Tickets start at $15 and can be ordered through theportlandballet.org or by calling 503-452-8448.

Audience members will be required to wear masks and show proof of vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test within 72 hours.

"We are so happy and excited to be collaborating with our good friend John Clifford again and to be able to bring this timely new production of 'A Christmas Carol' to our Portland audiences," Davis, the company's artistic director, said. "All-new choreography, an original score and scenic designs combined with the talents of our own dancers and stellar guest artists will make for a sensational performance experience."