Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre's THE NUTCRACKER Returns to the Benedum Center This December

Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre will perform the treasured holiday classic, The Nutcracker, from December 6-27 at the Benedum Center. PBT's current production of The Nutcracker features hundreds of colorful characters in an unforgettable adventure through the Land of Enchantment, which includes:

• Five stunning scenes

• More than 100 artists from the professional company and PBT School

• Pittsburgh celebrity guest star appearances in Act l

• Over 30 sleight-of-hand tricks created by a professional magician

• Full-stage battle with epic sword fighting

• 150 spectacular costumes

• 1,500 costume accessories

• Sparkling falling snow

• A Christmas tree that grows to 15 times its size

“The Nutcracker is a timeless holiday tradition that brings magic and joy to the season,” said PBT Artistic Director Adam W. McKinney. “This enchanting ballet, with its beautiful music and story, creates a wonderful experience for families and friends to share.”

 

PBT has performed various versions of The Nutcracker annually since its inception in 1969. The current Pittsburgh-based version, based on the choreography and concept by former PBT artistic director Terrence S. Orr, has been staged at PBT for 22 years. The annual production also features Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's classic score as well as costume and set designs by Emmy-winning designer Zack Brown. 

 

The three-week run includes a family-inclusive and sensory-friendly performance for audiences with autism spectrum disorder, sensory sensitivities or other individualized needs on Sunday, December 15th at 4:30 p.m.

About Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre's The Nutcracker

The Nutcracker is one of the most-known ballets of all time, and is based on German author E.T.A. Hoffman's 1816 tale The Nutcracker and the Mouse King. The first ballet adaptation premiered in 1892 at the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia. PBT has performed versions of The Nutcracker since the 1970s and has presented Orr's Pittsburgh-inspired interpretation since 2002.

PBT's current version opens with a Christmas Eve party in the early 20th-century Shadyside neighborhood, where a gift from mysterious “Uncle Drosselmeyer” sparks an adventure for young “Marie Stahlbaum.”

The story unfolds with classical ballet performances, ranging from the ethereal “Waltz of the Snowflakes” to the virtuosic dances of the Land of Enchantment. The choreography culminates with a Grand Pas de deux for the “Sugar Plum Fairy” and her “Cavalier” before the story returns to the Stahlbaum home, leaving “Marie” to wonder, “Was it all a dream?”

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