Edmonds Center for the Arts | Everett Performing Arts Center

Olympic Ballet Theatre’s production of The Nutcracker is widely anticipated each year, and we are thrilled to be back! Join us for this favorite holiday tradition featuring dazzling snowflakes, a dramatic battle, waltzing flowers, Tchaikovsky’s timeless score, and much more!

Choreographed by OBT artistic directors Oleg Gorboulev and Mara Vinson, this classic production of The Nutcracker features sets designed by Jeanne Franz, Phillip Lineau, and Ruth Gilmore.

Estimated Performance Length:

Regular Performance: 2 hours
(Including one 15 minute intermission)

Abridged Morning Matinee: 1 hour, 15 minutes
(Including one 15 minute intermission)

EVERETT PERFORMANCES

December 13-15, 2024

Everett Performing Arts Center

Friday, December 13, 10:30 am – abridged matinee
(group reservations information below) SOLD OUT

Saturday, December 14,  2 pm

Saturday, December 14, 7 pm

Sunday, December 15, 1 pm

Sunday, December 15, 5 pm

Ticket Price: $27–$47
(varies by performance time, age, and seating location)

EDMONDS PERFORMANCES

December 19-23, 2024

Edmonds Center for the Arts

Thursday, December 19, 10:30 am — abridged matinee
(group reservations information below) SOLD OUT

Friday, December 20, 10:30 am — abridged matinee
(group reservations information below) SOLD OUT

Friday, December 20, 7 pm

Saturday, December 21, 2 pm

Saturday, December 21, 7 pm

Sunday, December 22, 5 pm

Monday, December 23, 1 pm

Monday, December 23, 5 pm

Ticket Price: $29–$60
(varies by performance time, age, and seating location)

BUY TICKETS

Dress Code: We encourage patrons to dress up for the special occasion of attending a ballet. While there is no formal dress code, business casual to semi-formal attire is preferred. Please avoid shorts, baseball hats, or athletic wear to help maintain the elegance of the theater. Thank you for contributing to the magic of live ballet!

STORY OF THE BALLET

The story of The Nutcracker begins on Christmas Eve many years ago, with guests making their way to the home of Herr and Frau Stahlbaum for their annual Christmas Eve party. As the festivities pick up, a mysterious guest arrives—the toymaker Herr Drosselmeyer, a friend of the hosts and godfather to their young daughter, Clara.
 
Herr Drosselmeyer brings presents to each of the children and entertains them with wonderful human-sized mechanical dolls. For Clara, Drosselmeyer has a very special gift: an exquisite nutcracker doll. Clara’s brother Fritz, in a fit of jealousy, throws the nutcracker on the floor and breaks it, but Herr Drosselmeyer deftly mends it. The party continues late into the night, but at last, the guests bid their farewells and depart.
 
In the quiet of the night, Clara steals back to the parlor to check on her beloved nutcracker.  Bathed in the moonlight, Clara curls up with her nutcracker doll and falls fast asleep. She awakens late in the night, and at the stroke of midnight, the world seems to change before Clara’s eyes—the Christmas tree grows gigantic, larger-than-life mice battle toy soldiers, and Clara’s nutcracker doll comes to life and fights a duel with the menacing Mouse King. When all seems lost, Clara bravely steps in and saves the nutcracker from certain doom. As the nutcracker thanks Clara for saving him, all signs of the battle that just ensued seem to fade away.
 
Led by Herr Drosselmeyer, Clara is reunited with her nutcracker, only to find that he is now transformed into a handsome prince. Clara is transformed as well, and she dances a beautiful pas des deux with the Nutcracker Prince until it starts to snow. Herr Drosselmeyer sends Clara and her prince through the snow flurries and on into the Land of the Sweets.
 
Mysteriously, when they arrive, Herr Drosselmeyer is already there waiting for them. He introduces them to all, including the Spanish, Arabian, Chinese, and Russian dancers, the pas de trois, Mother Ginger and her buffoons, and the waltzing flowers. Clara dances an enchanting pas de deux with her Nutcracker Prince again to say goodbye before her dream ends.
 
Clara awakens back in her house on Christmas morning, returned to her normal self and with her beloved nutcracker doll beside her.

ABRIDGED SCHOOL & GROUP MORNING MATINEES

*SOLD OUT*

Perfect for kids and adults of all ages, these abridged performances are $11 per person for groups of 20 or more. You don’t need to be affiliated with a school to join us for a fun, kid-friendly event!

This production includes the “Introduction to the Magic of Theatre” intermission segment, where audience members view a special behind-the-scenes demonstration of scenery, lighting, costumes, and props! Performances are one hour and fifteen minutes.

Everett Performing Arts Center:
Friday, December 13: 10:30 am

Edmonds Center for the Arts:
Thursday, December 19: 10:30 am
Friday, December 20: 10:30 am

MAKE YOUR RESERVATION
To reserve seating for Abridged School and Group Matinees, please fill out the RESERVATION FORM and return it via mail or email to dance@olympicballet.org. SOLD OUT!

For more information or ticketing assistance with School Group Performances please call 425-774-7570 or email dance@olympicballet.org.

The 2024-25 Performance Season is generously sponsored in part by Adam and Sonja Cobb and Mill Creek Family Services.

OUR GRANT SPONSORS

We graciously thank the following sponsors for their support of our exciting performance season!
Without you, our special programming would not be possible!

Click each image to be taken to our sponsor’s homepage