With a rehearsal under way for “The Nutcracker,” Nicholas Reynolds of Gorham sat playing cards last last week with four friends in a dressing room one level below the stage at Merrill Auditorium in Portland.

“Don’t miss your calls,” his mom, Tami Reynolds, popped in to warn them.

But he was relaxed. “We have plenty of time,” he told his mother.

A Gorham High School honor student, Reynolds, 15, has good reason to be nervous. He is dancing two roles in the Maine State Ballet production of the “The Nutcracker.” He’s the Mouse King and the Russian in the production, which runs Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Reynolds, who began dancing at 3, has been in the production for eight years.

“I thrive off performing. It’s the thing I enjoy,” Reynolds said. “Merrill Auditorium is an awesome stage to be on.”

According to a recent article in the New York Times, men are well represented at the highest ranks of American ballet. At New York City Ballet, for example, men make up more than 50 percent of principals and soloists and also hold the posts of ballet master and resident choreographer.

At the entry level, however, boys often remain a distinct minority. But Maine State Ballet artistic director Linda MacArthur Miele says her company is experiencing something quite different. This year’s production of “The Nutcracker” includes more than 20 male dancers, ranging in age from 4 to 40-plus.

“It’s a very exciting time for male dancers in general, and for Maine State Ballet in particular,” said Glenn Davis, the company’s principal dancer, who has danced and taught at Maine State Ballet for 15 years. “The boys who have been with us for years are now in their teens, and they finally have the strength and experience to take on more partnering and solo roles.”

Reynolds, 6-feet-1-inch tall and a high school basketball player, followed his sister Cindy into dancing.

“I tagged along,” he said.

His first dance lessons were in a class sponsored by Gorham Recreation Department. Tami Reynolds said she and her husband, Paul, were surprised, but every year both children wanted to continue dancing.

“It was their decision,” their mom said.

“He’s kind of a ham,” his mom said of her son.

“They are close,” their mom said. “They share the same friends.”

Cindy, too, is also dancing in “The Nutcracker.”

“We’ve been doing it for a really long time so we’re used to it,” said Cindy, 16, a junior at Gorham High School.

Mike Hays of Falmouth, a member of the Maine State Ballet board of directors and the colonel in “The Nutcracker,” said dancing is “incredibly” disciplined and strenuous.

“Nick is one of our up-and-coming stars,” Hays said.

Hays said skills developed in dancing would transfer to sports, and in fact, some football coaches advocate ballet lessons for players.

“The mind-body connection is very intense,” Hays said about dancing.

When the production closes, Reynolds will play junior varsity basketball at Gorham High School.

His coach, Kelly Littlefield, said Tuesday, “He’s always highly energetic, high energy mentally. He plays hard.”

Littlefield and Hays both agreed that Reynolds displays confidence.

“He’s relaxed being in the public eye,” Littlefield said.

Like their dad, who played school football, basketball and tennis and now referees high school basketball and soccer, both teenagers are athletes.

Reynolds played centerfield and first base in Babe Ruth League baseball, and his sister went to the World Series in Texas with the under-16 Gorham Babe Ruth softball team a few years ago.

Over the years with Maine State Ballet, Reynolds has appeared in numerous shows, including “Hansel and Gretel” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

He wants a college education, but is undecided on a career. Besides dancing and playing sports, he’s a member of the Gorham Chamber Singers and plays trombone in the high school concert band.

Before going on stage for rehearsal, he played cards to prevent the jitters.

“There’s always a little healthy nervousness back stage,” he said. “Once on stage, you can’t afford any of that.”

Their mom helped cast members don costumes for the dress rehearsal. She sensed that her daughter was nervous with a contingent of family and friends planning to attend opening performance last week.

“Once on stage, they’re on autopilot,” said their mom, who used to be “teary” and emotional, but now just enjoys the show.

“It’s part of the season for us,” she said while zipping up a costume in a dressing room. “It’s become a tradition.”

(In wings)