Lands of the Sweets: Your Guide to the Many Takes on The Nutcracker
There are more versions of The Nutcracker playing in the region than anyone can find or count. We tracked down a bunch of them, then invited companies to tell us about their unique take on the ubiquitous holiday classic dance.
From wondrous set designs to burlesque to classical re-creations, you can see it all.
Ticketing links for most shows can be found on the Performance Calendar page here.
Pacific Northwest Ballet: George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker
Traditional ballet precision meets storybook wonderland
Through 12/27. At the Seattle Center.
What is special about your version of The Nutcracker?
While other Nutcrackers came to America before this one, George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker is by far the most iconic, and considered by many to be the template for all other Nutcrackers. While there are similar Nutcrackers out there, only a very few companies are authorized (by The George Balanchine Trust) to perform the Balanchine version – officially George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker® – including New York City Ballet, Miami Ballet, and Oregon Ballet Theatre.
What makes PNB’s version unique are the sets and costumes designed by Ian Falconer (Olivia the Pig). PNB has also worked diligently with the Trust to remove some of the more dated and potentially stereotypical/offensive components of the ballet, including last year introducing a Green Tea Cricket character in the second act Chinese divertissement. Also, unlike some other Nutcrackers that use recorded music, PNB’s production features live accompaniment by the mighty PNB Orchestra.
What might surprise people about the show?
PNB’s Nutcracker was 99.98% built in Seattle. Read some fun factoids about the show’s set and costumes here.
Another thing that surprises people about our show is that the cast changes at almost every performance: The PNB company of professional dancers switch around roles from show to show, to give everyone the opportunity to perform different parts over the course of the very long run. Check out the casting lists (posted each week) here.
Editor’s commentary: My picks for casts to see? Saturday (12/3, evening), when the terrific duo of Angelica Generosa and Jonathan Batista play the leading roles, and PNB’s Artistic Director Peter Boal steps into the role of Drosselmeier. (I didn’t even know he did that! It reminds me of Mark Morris performing in ‘The Hard Nut’ — which you can read my review of, along with a previous year’s PNB production and Spectrum Dance Theater’s ‘The Harlem Nutcracker’, here.) And on Thursday (at the 12/8 school matinee) or a to-be-announced date the following week, when the divine Amanda Morgan, recently elevated to soloist, will perform the Sugar Plum Fairy, her debut. Note that casts are subject to change (if need be), and that all their performers are top-notch. But those are the casts that have me itching to see it again. Recommended!
If your show were a stocking stuffer, what would it be?
Oh, a classic, for sure: probably an orange – sweet and perfect – or a Lifesaver Storybook – something for everyone!
Where does it fall on the traditional-to-modern scale?
Traditional. It features the music of the season, the way it was meant to be featured, not as background music for every car, grocery, and department store commercial.
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Designated sensory friendly performance (hands-on lobby features, quiet areas, relaxed environment, lighting adjustments, and more; see info here) is offered on 12/20 (Tuesday matinee). Editor’s commentary (again): these are sometimes billed specifically as Autism-friendly performances, but they’re wonderful for all viewers who prefer a more relaxed environment. Frankly, these feel like they were designed for humans to be humans, and are my favorite way to watch. Also recommended!
When looking for tickets: PNB would like people to know that scammers are out there, especially around the holidays. NWT has confirmed that: there are particularly brazen websites that appear to exist for no other reason than to sell tickets at twice the price to people searching for terms like “The Nutcracker Seattle.” Please be on alert to avoid both fake tickets and ripoffs. The best source for scam-free tickets is the official one. (No, really.)
Show info and (official!) tickets here.
ARC Dance: Nutcracker Sweets
A performance designed especially for kids
Through 12/17. In Leavenworth (through 12/3), Seattle (Ballard, 12/9-11), and Shoreline (12/17).
What is special about your version of The Nutcracker?
ARC’s Nutcracker Sweets was created with young audience members in mind. The total running time is much shorter than the usual 2.5-hour long full-length Nutcracker, so younger audience members are more likely to stay interested in the action on stage. The story line and usual characters are all represented in our condensed version: Clara, Nutcracker Prince, Sugar Plum Fairy, Herr Drosselmeier, Mouse King (actually a Mouse Queen), Spanish Coffee, Chinese Silk, Snow Flakes, etc. ARC Ballet School students from as young as three years old to 18 appear in the show, and we feature some professional dancers from ARC Dance Company.
If your show were a stocking stuffer, what would it be?
If ARC Dance’s Nutcracker Sweets were a stocking stuffer, it would be the little treasure that you unexpectedly found tucked inside in a larger gift.
Where does it fall on the traditional-to-modern scale?
Traditional ballet. The story takes place late 1800’s and our costumes and sets reflect that.
What might surprise people about the show?
A surprising feature about ARC’s Nutcracker Sweets is that every year director/choreographer Marie Chong creates new choreography for different parts of the show. The audience never sees the same choreography from year to year. Also, when attending Nutcracker Sweets at the ARC Dance performance space, the audience gets to meet the cast at the end of the show.
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Show info and tickets here.
Verlaine & McCann: Land of the Sweets – The Burlesque Nutcracker
A glamorous and grown-up twist
Opens 12/7, closing 12/30. At the Triple Door (Downtown Seattle).
What is special about your version of The Nutcracker?
Verlaine & McCann’s Land Of The Sweets: The Burlesque Nutcracker is special because it is an irreverent take on the ballet, crafted specifically for adults, by a diverse group of artists of multiple disciplines. People come year after year and have made our show their holiday tradition.
Where does it fall on the traditional-to-modern scale?
The show has a very modern mindset, but is styled in the fashion of a 1950s MGM musical: glitzy, jazzy, and glamorous.
If your show were a stocking stuffer, what would it be?
If our show were a stocking stuffer, it would be cinnamon candy — because it’s sweet and spicy.
What is the mood of this show?
Positively jubilant! Just as the host’s song of welcome says, “Joy is the reason we’re Swingin’ in the Season.”
Editor’s note: the food at the Triple Door is temperamental. Don’t let that stifle your great night; read my suggestions here.
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Show info here, and tickets here.
Spectrum Dance Theater: The Harlem Nutcracker (Teaser)
An acclaimed choreographer’s full re-creation, in progress
Opens 12/8, closing 12/18. At On the Boards (Seattle – Lower Queen Anne).
Some 25 years ago, Donald Byrd’s The Harlem Nutcracker was all the rage, crisscrossing the country on tour. Then it imploded; too big, too fast, it seems. (Read about it in the Seattle Times, here.) But that didn’t stop the demand for it.
Now, coinciding with his 20 years at the helm of Seattle’s Spectrum Dance Theater, Byrd’s re-envisioning of his original, iconic take is almost complete. This year’s preview production will show all but the very ending of the dance, with the full version set to premiere in full next season.
What is special about your version of The Nutcracker?
Donald Byrd’s The Harlem Nutcracker story centers around an African-American family in Harlem on Christmas Eve. It highlights the unique warmth and centrality of the grandmother in African-American culture, the resilience of Black-American families, and Harlem as a center of the African Diaspora.
What might surprise people about the show?
Those unfamiliar with the original story of Donald Byrd’s The Harlem Nutcracker will find it surprising that rather than centering the narrative on Clara as a young girl, audiences are re-introduced to Clara as an African-American, elderly, recently-widowed grandmother.
What is the mood of this show?
The show evokes an ambiance of warmth and generosity, with feelings of joy and bitter-sweet tones.
Where does it fall on the traditional-to-modern scale?
Donald Byrd’s The Harlem Nutcracker is on the modern end of the scale.
If the show were a stocking stuffer, what would it be?
If the show were a stocking stuffer, it would take the form of a multi-generational family photograph.
Editor’s note: I’ve followed the unveiling of Byrd’s work-in-progress over a few seasons, beginning in pre-pandemic times and including a virtual showing. It’s been a joy to see it unfold. For any viewers thrilled to see modern classics unveiled, this is a must-see. Recommended!
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Pay-what-you-choose tickets available for all. Show info and tickets here.
International Ballet Theatre: The Nutcracker
The original dance, with modern twists and Ukrainian artists
Opens 12/9, closing 12/23. At Meydenbauer Center Theatre (Bellevue).
What is special about your version of The Nutcracker?
IBT’s The Nutcracker is staged using the original choreography from the first Nutcracker production performed in 1892, which has been updated for a modern audience.
Our company members are also joined by world-renowned guest artists. This year, Kateryna Kukhar and Alexander Stoyanov will be joining our cast. Respectively, they are the Prima Ballerina and Principal Dancer of the National Opera of Ukraine. Both also hold the honor of the People’s Artist of Ukraine. Finally, our backdrops and costumes are handcrafted by artisans from the Lviv Opera of Ukraine. Beyond these wonderful aspects of our productions, our performances focus on creating a family-friendly event that embodies the spirit of the holidays. It is a show that no family should miss.
Where does it fall on the traditional-to-modern scale?
IBT’s version of The Nutcracker is very traditional but has been updated for the modern world.
If your show were a stocking stuffer, what would it be?
IBT’s The Nutcracker would be a whole bag of holiday sweets, so you can stay up all night waiting for Santa. Fun and energetic, our production inspires young artists with the magic of the holidays.
What might surprise people about the show?
The intricate details of our backdrops and costumes, combined with some of the most talented dancers in Washington, constantly surprise our audience every year. Through the medium of dance, our production is a wholesome reminder that there is kindness, beauty, and magic in the world.
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IBT holds school performances (shortened or excerpts) in addition to its public performances. Show info and tickets here.
Tacoma City Ballet: The Nutcracker
The Russian original, replicated for Northwest audiences
Opens 12/10, closing 12/18. At Pantages Theater (Tacoma).
What is special about your version of The Nutcracker?
Tacoma City Ballet’s Nutcracker is a replication of the original historical The Nutcracker, first seen in St. Petersburg, Russia in 1892. A grant from the E.L. Wiegand Foundation in Nevada in the late 1990s funded the re-creation of the historic production’s set, props, costumes, and certain choreography. Tacoma City Ballet has presented The Nutcracker in the Pantages Theater since 1983, and this particular version has been presented since 1998.
There are about 150 members in the cast: character/actor dancers who are adults from the Tacoma community, the children of Tacoma City Ballet School, and the Tacoma City Ballet Company, composed of 40 dancers in the corps de ballet and a complement of eight dancers in our professional division.
Tacoma City Ballet has prioritized live music for all of our Pantages Theater productions since 1983. The Tacoma City Ballet Orchestra, under the direction of Maestro Bernard Kwiram, will accompany The Nutcracker, as well as Carmina Burana in February and Pinocchio: The Ballet in March.
Where does it fall on the traditional-to-modern scale?
Since Tacoma City Ballet’s The Nutcracker is a physical re-creation of the original, it is classically traditional.
What might surprise people about the show?
The sets and props, being re-created from the original production, are not typical to other Nutcrackers. In Act I, the grandfather clock has an owl perched on the top that flaps its wings, and there is a giant pie and cabbage that each contain a dancing doll. The Snowflakes’ headpieces and snow wands are quite unique, intending to replicate falling snow, and in Act II’s Waltz of the Flowers, flower garlands are used.
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Show info and tickets here.
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Emerald Ballet Theatre: The Nutcracker
Opens tonight, closing 12/11. At the Northshore Performing Arts Center (Bothell).
A long-running ballet tradition, performed with the Emerald Ballet Theatre Orchestra.
Show info and tickets here.
Bremerton Community Theatre – BCTjr: The Nutcracker Prince
Opens 12/9, closing 12/11. In Bremerton.
A short (40-minute) play adaptation of Clara’s dream of the Nutcracker Prince who comes to life and defeats the Rat King.
Show info and tickets here.
Evergreen City Ballet: The Nutcracker
Opens 12/9, closing 12/18. In Auburn (12/9-11) and Renton (12/15-18).
A ballet tradition, performed in the south end.
Show info and tickets here.
Olympic Ballet Theatre: The Nutcracker
Opens 12/9, closing 12/20. In Everett (12/9-11) and Edmonds (12/15-20).
A long-running ballet tradition, performed to the classic score, in the north end.
Show info and tickets here.
Responses have been condensed and edited for clarity.
Curious about The Nutcracker’s (not-so-sweet) history? Read a recent article in the Washington Post, here.
For shows by date, see the Performance Calendar. (View the Christmas shows here.)
Chase D. Anderson is Editor & Producer of NWTheatre.org.