“Nutcracker” performances are upon us yet again with this fairy tale ballet from 1892 relegating comparatively more recent Yuletide entertainment traditions like “It’s a Wonderful Life” to the status of Santa-come-latelies.
And no matter if it is a grand or modest “Nutcracker” staging, this annual cultural perennial always generates a seasonal sense of community in a darkened hall for those whose live ballet-going is limited to once a year.
Here is a regional guide to many of the productions out there, organized by county and in chronological order by date of first performance.
LOS ANGELES COUNTY
American Contemporary Ballet ‘The Nutcracker Suite’
A 75-minute performance, with nine-piece live musical ensemble, “The Nutcracker Suite” is an 11-vignette production aimed for children as much as adults. Director and choreographer Lincoln Jones dispenses with the traditional storyline, with Act 1 functioning as something of a party for audience members with snacks and beverages — cider for kids, champagne for adults — while some of the dancers interweave through the audience. The subsequent dance portion samples from the various dances found within Tchaikovsky’s most iconic music, largely drawn from Act 2 of the standard ballet. 2 and 5 p.m. Nov. 29, 30, Dec. 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21; 8 p.m. Dec. 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19, 23; 1 p.m. Dec. 24. $85-$125. Bank of America Plaza, 333 S Hope St., Los Angeles. www.acbdances.com/the-nutcracker-suite
Debbie Allen’s ‘Hot Chocolate Nutcracker.’
A mix-master approach reflecting the talented Allen’s eclectic dance stylization, this versions taps into jazz, hip-hop, modern-dance and ballet spin on the usual Nutcracker steps. There are variations on the usual storyline and this is especially designed for youthful eyes in the telling (wise-cracking mice are our tour guides). 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5, 6, 12 and 13; 2 p.m.Dec. 6, 7, 13 and 14. $54.59-$144.99. Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center, 1935 Manhattan Beach Blvd., Redondo Beach. Eventbrite.com
Long Beach Ballet’s annual production of “The Nutcracker” returns to the Terrance Theatre Dec. 13-20. (Photo by Katie Ging)Long Beach Ballet
As always, it’s Lollapalooza in leotards in Long Beach. For the 43rd season, the Ziegfield of Nutcracker, Long Beach Ballet Artistic Director David Wilcox, has made it a personal challenge to pull out as many stops as he can think for the sizable Terrace Theater production. (Wilcox’s take-no-prisoners slogan continues to be: “You can hate ballet and you’ll still like this production!”). The cast once again imports lead role dancers from San Francisco Ballet and the Joffrey Ballet and more than amply backs them with more than 250 in the cast along with a live orchestra. Dessert toppings exclusive to this version include a live horse, a flying sleigh, a magician and plenty of pyrotechnics. 2 p.m. Dec. 13, 14, 20 and 21; 7:30 p.m. Dec. 13 and 20. $49.10-$117.40. Terrace Theater, Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center, 300 E. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach. longbeachballet.com
Los Angeles Ballet
Likely the most Southern California of all Nutcrackers, in its 20th anniversary season, Los Angeles Ballet continues to present its five-scene version with settings including a classy Spanish-style Hancock Park home, the snowy slopes of Big Bear, a Venice Beach vibe and a full moon night over the Pacific Ocean finale. 7:30 p.m. Dec. 12 and 13; 2 p.m. Dec. 13 and14. Royce Hall, UCLA, 10745 Dickson Ct., Los Angeles. $44-$137. (W/live orchestra), 7:30 p.m. Dec. 19, 20, 21, 23, 26 and 27; 2 p.m., Dec. 20, 21, 23, 24, 27 and 28. $77.75-$119.55. Dolby Theatre, 6801 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. losangelesballet.org
Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet
The gypsy troupe of Christmas dance, this company blitzes up and down the state beginning in November into December with single day stops and sometimes as many as three performances daily in venues as far north as Redding and south as San Diego. The classical ballet choreography is supplemented with acrobatics and puppetry. Noon, 4 and 8 p.m. Dec. 20. $35.25-$95.75. The Wiltern, 3790 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles; 1:30 and 6:30 p.m. Dec. 21. $38.50-$159.50. La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd., La Mirada. Nutcracker.com
Pasadena Dance Theater will perform “The Nutcracker” four times Dec. 20-21 at San Gabriel Mission Playhouse. (Photo by Wolf Austad)Pasadena Dance Theater
The Pasadena company is more than half a century old, but its approach to the Nutcracker staple is ever innovative. Jessamyn Vedro’s choreography funds brief instances of various kinds of dance as Clara’s experience is told through a vivid dreamscape where she travels the world, encountering dances from China, France, Ukraine, Egypt, Scotland, and Spain. 2 and 7 p.m. Dec. 20; noon and 5 p.m. Dec. 21. $28.70-$78.70. San Gabriel Mission Playhouse, 320 S. Mission Drive, San Gabriel. ci.ovationtix.com/36849/production/1255288
San Pedro City Ballet
Founded in 1994 by Cynthia and Patrick Bradley, this regional company is maybe best known for growing national ballet royalty in the form of Misty Copeland, whom the Bradleys began training at age 13. Copeland, who became a celebrated principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre, officially retired from that company in October. San Pedro Ballet’s “Nutcracker” has been a South Bay staple over the decades. 7:30 p.m. Dec. 12; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 13; 2 p.m, Dec. 14. $45. James R. Armstrong Theatre, 3330 Civic Center Drive, Torrance. sanpedrocityballet.org
Tustin Dance Theater
Once again, the delightfully named “Dance! To Your Heart’s Delight” production from the more prosaically named nonprofit Tustin Dance Center migrates across county lines to Downey for an annual weekend production of “Nutcracker.” 2 p.m. Dec. 20 and 21; 6:30 p.m. Dec. 20. $35-$55. Downey Theatre, 8435 Firestone Blvd., downey. dtyhd.com
Westside Ballet
Established in 1973, this is the longest performed annual “Nutcracker” in Southern California still running … er, dancing. While some regional companies import second-tier corps members from national companies to dance the leads, Westside Ballet has A-level talent, with the return of last year’s formidable power couple, Westside alumnus Tiler Peck, now principal dancer and choreographer with New York City Ballet, is again partnered with NYCB principal Roman Mejia. Danced as usual to live music from the Santa Monica City College Symphony Orchestra. 1 and 5 p.m. Nov. 29, 30, Dec. 6, 7; 7 p.m., Dec. 5. $66.50. Broad Stage at the Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center, 1310 11th St., Santa Monica. Westsideballet.com
Clara and her Nutcracker Prince in World Ballet Company’s “The Nutcracker” production, which plays in both San Diego and Escondido in December. (World Ballet Company)World Ballet Company
Ever on the national move — this LA- based company will be seen in December from Brainerd, Minnesota, to Norfolk, Virginia, — the company features a traditional seasonal production of “Nutcracker” (the other eleven months continue in even smaller town stops doing “Swan Lake,” “Cinderella” and “The Great Gatsby Ballet”.) This year company squeezed in a single evening performance locally. 7 p.m. Dec. 7. $45.90-$77.35. Alex Theatre, 216 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale (Note: The company also performs Dec. 6-7 at the Balboa Theatre in San Diego and Dec. 10 at the California Center for the Arts in Escondido. WorldBalletCompany.com
ORANGE COUNTY
American Ballet Theatre’s run of “Nutcracker” performances at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa begins Dec. 11 and continues through Dec. 21. (Photo by Marty Sohl)American Ballet Theatre’s The Nutcracker
This is the 10th anniversary for American Ballet Theatre’s high-caliber, Alexi Ratmansky-choreographed “Nutcracker” production being performed at Costa Mesa’s Segerstrom Center for the Arts. With children’s roles populated by students from the Center’s ABT William J. Gillespie School, principal ABT dancers rotate through the leads. Beyond the artistry and sumptuous production, Ratmansky’s expressive and delightfully playful narrative rivals, and perhaps tops, New York City Ballet’s original George Balanchine choreography. 7 p.m. Dec. 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20; 2 p.m. Dec. 13 and 20; 11:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Dec. 14 and 21. $39-$339. Segerstrom Center, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. scfta.org
Festival Ballet Theatre’s annual production of “The Nutcracker” will include more than a dozen performances from Dec. 6 through Christmas Eve morning at the Irvine Barclay Theatre. (Photo by Skye Schmidt)Festival Ballet Theatre
Beginning in 1987, with its longtime tie to the Southland Ballet Academy, which offers classes in Fountain Valley and Irvine, Festival Ballet Theatre has produced annual story-length ballets at the Irvine Barclay Theatre. This spring saw a mounting of “Sleeping Beauty,” and now longtime Artistic Director Salwa Rizkalla’s choreography of “Nutcracker” is on display again in a 14-performance run this year. 2 p.m. Dec. 6; 1 p.m., Dec. 7, 13, 14, 20, 21 and 23; 6 p.m. Dec. 13, 14, 20, 21, 22 and 23; 11 a.m., Dec. 24. $54-$74. Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine. festivalballet.org
Nouveau Chamber Ballet
A 90-minute abbreviated performance to recorded music, this Nutcracker is a youth production from Nouveau Chamber Ballet, which was founded in 1988. The dance troupe is a product of the longtime Lois Ellyn Dance Studio, a dance training school founded in Fullerton by its namesake in 1956. The nonprofit company is Orange County’s oldest ballet school; the production is staged by Artistic Director Sheree King. 2:30 p.m. Dec. 20 and 21. $25-$35. Fullerton College campus theater, 321 E. Chapman Ave., Fullerton. nouveauchamberballet.com
The Pacific Symphony
Staged in the orchestra’s home ground of the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, The Pacific Symphony and dancers from the American Ballet Theatre William J. Gillespie School unite to reimagine Tchaikovsky’s ballet as a 45-minute “The Nutcracker for Kids!” In the lobby beforehand there are special activities for kids related to the performance, including games, art, crafts, and an instrument petting zoo. 10 and 11:30 a.m., Dec. 6. $69-$142. Segerstrom Center, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. pacificsymphony.org
INLAND EMPIRE
Inland Dance Theatre
The county’s largest and most elaborate “Nutcracker,” the production — which is one of Southern California’s longest standing, having been mounted since 1976 — stages a fully costumed cast of 100. The company ranges from dancers as young as age 4 up to and including adult professional dancers in the lead roles. 7 p.m. Dec. 5, 6 and 7, 2:15 p.m., Dec. 7. $50-$68.50. California Theatre of the Performing Arts, 562 W. 4th St., San Bernardino. 909-885-8263 or ticketmaster.com
Inland Empire Contemporary Ballet
This youth company, an adjunct of the Riverside-based Inland Empire Dance Center, increases the number of performances of its traditional version of “Nutcracker.” Staged by artistic director Jamie Azpeitia-Sachs, a former dancer with Debbie Allen Dance and Los Angeles Ballet, this will be the production’s ninth year. 7 p.m. Dec. 5; 1 and 5 p.m. Dec. 6; 4 p.m. Dec. 7. $39.50-$29.20. Yucaipa Performing Arts Center, 12062 California St., Yucaipa. yucaipaperformingarts.org
Inland Pacific Ballet’s 2025 production of “The Nutcracker” will be performed Dec. 13-14 at Bridges Auditorium in Claremont and Dec. 20-21 at Fox Performing Arts Center in Riverside.(Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)Inland Pacific Ballet
The Montclair-based troupe spreads the Yuletide wealth across two bordering counties with an increased number of seven performances this season across its two traditional venues. A full production of the original story showcases about 80 performers, which include guest lead dancers, including two from New York City Ballet. Noon and 4 p.m. Dec. 13 and 14. $75-$106, adults and $41-47, children under 12. Bridges Auditorium, 450 N. College Way, Claremont. 2 p.m. Dec. 20 and 21; 7:30 p.m. Dec. 20. $90-$106. Fox Performing Arts Center, 3801 Mission Inn Ave., Riverside. Ipballet.org
Lake Arrowhead Classical Ballet Company
This fixture of the mountain community was founded in 1993 by Sharon McCormick, who is also the company’s choreographer. Cast members tend to stay within the production, growing into more prominent roles as their dance skills increase. The performances outgrew the original space up in Arrowhead and the group now stages its production down the hill in San Bernardino. 7 p.m. Dec. 5 and 6; 2:30 p.m. Dec. 6, 7. $32. San Manuel Performing Arts Center at Aquinas High School, 2772 Sterling Ave., San Bernardino. arrowheadballet.org
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