Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (PBT) will perform the magical, time-honored holiday tradition, The Nutcracker, December 5-28, 2025 at the Benedum Center. Set in turn-of-the-century Pittsburgh, Terrence S. Orr’s dazzling version of The Nutcracker highlights the city’s beloved landmarks, sports teams and history.
PBT’s current production of The Nutcracker follows Marie and the Nutcracker Prince on an unforgettable adventure through sparkling snow into the Land of Enchantment. It features hundreds of colorful characters in an unforgettable adventure through the Land of Enchantment. Audiences who attend the ballet can expect to experience a dazzling journey of:
- 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 remarkable classic ballet,” said PBT Artistic Director Adam W. McKinney. “With its beautiful music and endearing story, this ballet offers an unforgettable way to experience the holiday season with loved ones.”
PBT has performed various versions of The Nutcracker annually since its inception in 1969. The current Pittsburgh-based version, choreographed and conceived by former PBT artistic director Terrence S. Orr, has been staged at PBT for 23 years. The annual production features Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s classic score as well as costume and set designs by Emmy-winning designer Zack Brown.
About Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s The Nutcracker
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 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?”
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre's The Nutcracker is generously sponsored by:
Sensory-Friendly Performance - Sunday, December 7, 4:30 p.m.
PBT’s The Nutcracker includes a sensory-friendly performance for audiences with autism spectrum disorder, sensory sensitivities or other individualized needs. This family-inclusive, relaxed performance is open to all and provides a judgment-free zone where theater staff and patrons accept (and expect) extra sound or movement in the audience. Adaptations PBT offers during these shows include house lights set to 20% brightness, lowered sound levels, relaxed house rules (guests are free to move around and to enter/exit the theater space as needed), use of iPads and other electronics for therapeutic purposes and fidget object and ear plug availability. More information is available here. This special performance is generously sponsored by:
Food Drive for Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank
From November 10 through December 19, 2025, PBT will be accepting donations of non-perishable food items to benefit the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. Donations will be accepted at PBT’s Studios, located at 2900 Liberty Avenue, in the Strip District. Individuals who donate will receive a 30% savings coupon to purchase tickets to select performances of The Nutcracker.
Theater Programs
Expand your experience at the ballet with these PBT Education and Community Engagement programs that are open to all ticket holders:
Saturday, Dec. 6 and | Family Workshop | 12:45 p.m.
It’s always easier for kids to appreciate and understand a performance and the art form with a bit of preparation! Join us for a story time, dancing and a chance to see Nutcracker costumes and props up close! Reserve your spot here!
Saturday, Dec. 6 | Tea with the A.D. | 6:15 p.m.
Grab your tea – or your favorite drink – at the bar and join Artistic Director Adam W. McKinney for an informal conversation before the performance.
Saturday, Dec. 6 | Artist Q&A | after the 7 p.m. performance
Meet and chat with your favorite artists!
Friday, Dec. 12 | Artist Q&A |after the 7 p.m. performance
Meet and chat with your favorite artists!
Sunday, Dec. 14 | Ballet Workshop for Scouts | 10:30 a.m.
Bring your troop to a performance of The Nutcracker and kick it off with a pre-show ballet class at the Benedum Center! No dance experience is required for this fun, beginner’s workshop. Appropriate for girl scouts and boy scouts. Click here for more information!
Sunday, Dec. 14 | Audio Described Performance | 12 p.m.
Patrons experience the performance through verbal description of the action on stage, including choreography, storyline, scenery and costumes. If audience members are interested in using the audio description, they should visit Guest Services at the Benedum Center to receive a headset.
Saturday, Dec. 20 | Family Workshop | 12:45 p.m.
It’s always easier for kids to appreciate and understand a performance and the art form with a bit of preparation! Join us for a story time, dancing and a chance to see Nutcracker costumes and props up close! Reserve your spot here!
Performance Schedule
Between December 5-28, 2025, PBT will offer 21 performances of The Nutcracker. The complete schedule can be found here.
Ticket Information
Single tickets for The Nutcracker start at $33.50, including all fees, and are available at pbt.org or by calling 412-456-6666. Season subscription packages are also available. More information is available at pbt.org or by calling 412-454-9107.
Groups purchasing eight or more tickets save up to 50%. More information is available at pbt.org/groups.
Student Matinee
Teachers are also encouraged to bring their classrooms to a student matinee performance at 11:00 am on Friday, December 5. Tickets are available at a discounted price, and bus funding is available with professional development workshop attendance. For more information about student matinees, contact Jamie Adams at groupsales@pittsburghballet.org.
Coming to PBT in the 2025-2026 Season:
- America 250 with the PBT Orchestra – February 20-22, 2026, at the Benedum Center
- Spring Mix – April 10-12, 2026, at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream with the PBT Orchestra – May 15-17, 2026 at the Benedum Center
Watch the 2025-2026 Video here.
About Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre has been Pittsburgh’s premier professional ballet company since 1969. Today, PBT is a nationally recognized ballet company of 30 professional dancers, a training institution for over 1,200 students of all ages, and an incubator for education and accessibility programs in classrooms, libraries and community centers throughout the region. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Adam W. McKinney and Executive Director Nicholas Dragga, the company performs a wide-ranging repertoire of classical ballets, contemporary masterworks and new commissions in nearly 50 performances annually.
