By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

Pelham Police Chief Tommy Thomas will serve as Mother Ginger in this year’s production of The Nutcracker by the Alabama Youth Ballet Company at Pelham High School after he was presented with a nearly 2-foot-tall white wig at the Nov. 19 Pelham City Council meeting.

Each year, Alabama Youth Ballet selects a male Pelham public figure and casts him as Mother Ginger during the annual production, which will be held Dec. 8-9 at the Pelham High School auditorium.

As Mother Ginger, Thomas will dance onto the Sugar Plum Fairy’s court and open his vast skirt to reveal eight gingerbread children who will dance around him.

Thomas will succeed Pelham Parks and Recreation Director Billy Crandall, former Pelham Mayor Don Murphy, current Pelham Mayor Gary Waters and several others who have filled the role over the past several years.

“We sent him a DVD of last year’s performance so he could prepare for his role,” said Grebel Dance Executive Director Deborah Grebel.

The announcement came shortly after the City Council voted unanimously to donate $1,000 to help this year’s production of The Nutcracker.