Pittsburgh Ballet unveils details of its new version of 鈥楾he Nutcracker鈥�
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (PBT) has unveiled the characters and storyline of its new production of “The Nutcracker,” which will premiere in December 2027.
PBT’s new version of “The Nutcracker” is an updated adaptation. The updated version will succeed PBT’s current production of Terrence S. Orr’s “The Nutcracker,” which will end its 24-year run this December.
“Our new annual holiday production of ‘The Nutcracker’ will dazzle audiences for many years to come. We are thrilled to begin sharing elements of it with Pittsburgh,” said Adam W. McKinney, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre artistic director. “It promises to be a unique and unforgettable experience. I am sure that audiences will be excited about the combination of traditional story and characters alongside new, lovable characters and fascinating plot changes.”
With the story by PBT artistic director Adam W. McKinney and Trey McIntyre and choreography by Trey McIntyre, PBT’s all-new “The Nutcracker,” set in early 20th-century Pittsburgh, will feature new choreography, costumes, sets and Pittsburgh-inspired themes that celebrate the city’s rich history. The production will stay true to the classic story and its primary characters while introducing new characters and fresh twists and turns in the story. Tchaikovsky’s score will remain, along with a new selection from the original 1892 production of “The Nutcracker.”
Beloved characters, including Marie, Fritz, Uncle Drosselmeyer, the Nutcracker, Rat King, Snow Queen and King, Snowflakes and Sugar Plum Fairy will remain in this version of the ballet. Traditional dances such as “Waltz of the Snowflakes,” “Waltz of the Flowers” and the “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” will also remain. Other dances will have the same music with new characters dancing in them. Traditional characters who were missing from PBT’s previous version will once again be included in the new “The Nutcracker,” including the Dew Drop Fairy and Mother Ginger. New characters, inspired by Pittsburgh, will also be introduced in Act II divertissement dances.
This new version of “The Nutcracket” will be set in Pittsburgh in 1906.
“The Nutcracker” is one of the most well-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 PBT has performed six different versions of “The Nutcracker” annually since its inception in 1969. The current version, choreographed and conceived by former PBT artistic director Terrence S. Orr, has been staged at PBT for 24 years. The last production of this version will run Dec. 4-27, 2026.
For information, go online to pbt.org.