Performing the Manhattan Project in Los Alamos.

This article examines how the community of Los Alamos, New Mexico, constructs its local identity and history through two children's performances centered on the Manhattan Project—the World War II effort to develop atomic weapons. These performances, a ballet adaptation titled *Nutcracker on "The Hill"* and an elementary school musical *Working on the Hill: A Musical Revue of Los Alamos History*, emphasize hyperlocal perspectives that privilege white scientist narratives while largely avoiding direct engagement with the creation and use of nuclear weapons. By omitting or softening the difficult and uncomfortable aspects of nuclear history, the performances create a domesticated and nostalgic version of the Manhattan Project that blurs distinctions between past and present Los Alamos, potentially evoking a sense of the "nuclear uncanny" among audiences. The article highlights how these local histories, shaped for young performers and audiences, reflect broader tensions in commemorating complex legacies within a community deeply connected to the ongoing presence of the Los Alamos National Laboratory.