New York City Ballet Cancels Performances of THE NUTCRACKER Through December 27

New York City Ballet has canceled its performances of George Balanchine's The Nutcracker through Monday, December 27 at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts due to a number of positive test results for breakthrough COVID-19 among people involved in the production. George Balanchine's The Nutcracker is currently scheduled to resume performances on Tuesday, December 28 at 7pm and continue as scheduled through Sunday, January 2.

In making the announcement, NYCB Executive Director Kathy Brown and Artistic Director Jonathan Stafford said, "Due to several positive test results for COVID-19 over the past few days, and in an effort to protect the health and safety of the entire NYCB community we have decided that the best course

of action is to cancel all performances of the Nutcracker until next Tuesday, December 28. This was a difficult decision to make as bringing this beloved holiday production back to the stage this year for audiences in the City and beyond has been a high priority for New York City Ballet and we look forward to resuming performances next week."

Since the opening of the 2021-22 Season in September, NYCB has safely presented a four-week fall season, September 21 through October 17, as well as 30 performances of its annual holiday engagement of George Balanchine's The Nutcracker, which began on November 26. Following the Nutcracker season, the Company is scheduled to open a six-week winter repertory season on Tuesday, January 18. COVID-19 protocols and mandates that are currently in place at NYCB include regular testing, and all artists and staff members working on-site must be fully-vaccinated against the virus and wear masks at all times, except for the artists while they are performing.

Audience members holding tickets for the canceled performances of George Balanchine's The Nutcracker can receive a full refund, donate the value of their tickets to NYCB as a tax-deductible charitable contribution, or exchange their tickets for another Nutcracker performance, from December 28 through January 2, or for any NYCB 2022 winter or spring repertory performance, by emailing customercare@nycballet.com, or visiting the David H. Koch Theater box office. Refunds will be automatically processed for all ticket buyers who do not request an exchange or make a donation by January 3.

New York City Ballet's acclaimed production of Balanchine's masterpiece, which premiered on February 2, 1954, helped to establish The Nutcracker and its score as perennial favorites in the United States, evident by the now countless versions of the ballet performed all over the country. With the exception of the 2020 season when performances could not take place due to the COVID-19 pandemic, NYCB's beloved production has been performed in New York City every year since its premiere, and is seen by more than 100,000 people annually. Highlights of this world-renowned holiday production include a one-ton Christmas tree that grows from 12 to 40 feet, an onstage snowstorm, and hundreds of elaborate costumes. The production's grand finale involves one million watts of lighting, the most used in any New York City Ballet production.

New York City Ballet has also partnered with Marquee TV to once again bring George Balanchine's The Nutcracker to viewers around the world, in a special streaming event that is available through January 2, 2022 on Marquee TV. Filmed during the Company's 2019 season at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center, the Marquee TV broadcast features recently retired NYCB Principal Dancer Maria Kowroski as the Sugarplum Fairy, Tyler Angle as Her Cavalier, and Megan Fairchild as Dewdrop. Tickets are available for purchase at welcome.marquee.tv/nutcracker and are priced at $20 in the United States. (Prices vary internationally.)