The PNB's Festive Treat Returns

The Festive Season just wouldn't be the same without the extraordinary tale of Marie and her Nutcracker Prince! Pacific Northwest Ballet is proud to once again present its take on the age-old Christmas classic in the form of George Balanchine's The Nutcracker.

Featuring Tchaikovsky's original score, the production is in the capable hands of PNB Artistic Director Peter Boal, former New York City Ballet star Judith Figate, and world-renowned children's author and illustrator Ian Falconer. They've teamed up with a host of talented costumiers, design artists, dancers, and performers to create Marie's magical universe anew.

Balanchines' Nutcracker is perhaps the most popular stage version of the story and first premiered in 1954 to rapturous acclaim. It makes use of more child performers than any other choreography, with young dancers taking on the principal roles of Marie and the Prince. This show is far more than just a staged ballet, it's a time-honored tradition that's adored, for its glorious melding of elegant dance forms and a spell-binding score, by adults and children alike.

What Is The Nutcracker About?

When Marie creeps down in the dead of night to check on her broken toy, the clock strikes midnight and The Nutcracker, along with a host of other characters, comes to life! A whole new world blooms before her, one in which the Sugar Plum Fairy reigns over the Land of Sweets and the Mouse King's armies wreak havoc...