“The Polar Express” is coming to Renton’s Carco Theater Dec. 16 – 17.

This is the third annual production for the Blue Dog Dance group and features a cast of over 90 local performers from age 3 to more than 60 years old. Performers are from Renton, Bellevue, Newcastle, Issaquah and Maple Valley.

The production is said to showcase many different aspects of performance art as well as ballet. The original director of the production, Barbara Walshe, was inspired by listening to the soundtrack of “The Polar Express” with her family.

She has choreographed a “Nutcracker” in the past.

This production of “The Polar Express” features a new set mural of the North Pole that was commissioned by a grant from the Renton Municipal Arts Commission.

It also features “tapping elves, flipping wolves, dancing reindeer and breakdancing chefs with singers and actors to help tell the story of a child who doesn’t believe in Santa Claus and ends up on a train to the North Pole along with other doubters,” according to a release.

Walshe’s production has changed over the years from first just featuring dance interpretations, singers and “actors” in pantomime to adding speaking parts and more singing roles with interspersed surprises.

This year’s show is directed by Lisa Edwards, who is the drama instructor at Open Window School and Blue Dog Dance. She is assistant director for Newport High School’s musical this year.

Jordyn Palmer is the voice director for the production and is the show choir teacher and private voice lesson instructor at Blue Dog Dance and Moore Brothers Music.

Brian Ung assists with break dance choreography and Hattie Miller with gymnastic choreography.

Show times are 6:30 p.m., Dec. 16 and 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., Dec. 17 at Carco Theater, 1717 Maple Valley Highway in Renton.

All tickets are $10 and available at www.BlueDogDance.com.