7 Streaming Nutcrackers for Your Holiday Season Viewing Pleasure

This is the time of year that every ballet company, practically across the world, does The Nutcracker. Of course, stages are dark this holiday season, but that hasn't stopped the show from going on. Multiple theaters are either streaming their archived Nutcracker productions, or presenting creative new takes on the classic. Here are 7 suggestions for you to choose from.

1. New York City Ballet
Streaming Dates: Through January 3
New York City Ballet shares its 2019 archival recording of George Balanchine's The Nutcracker, with a cast featuring Maria Kowroski as the Sugarplum Fairy, Tyler Angle as Her Cavalier, and Megan Fairchild as Dewdrop, as well as the 62-piece New York City Ballet Orchestra being conducted by music director Andrew Litton. Click here for tickets.

2. Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker
Streaming Dates: December 19-29
Moscow Ballet streams its elaborate yearly production of The Nutcracker, presenting it alongside a behind-the-scenes look at how it was created, including first-hand interviews with the cast and designers. Click here for tickets.

3. The Hip Hop Nutcracker
Streaming Dates: Through January 3
Director/choreographer Jennifer Weber stages a contemporary dance spectacle set to Tchaikovsky's classic score. It is performed by a dozen all-star dancers, a DJ, a violinist, and MC Kurtis Blow, who opens the show with a short set. Click here for tickets.

4. The Nutcracker at Wethersfield
Streaming Dates: December 23-26
Troy Schumacher directs and choreographs a site-specific, Covid-complient Nutcracker at the Wethersfield Estate in Amenia, New York. It has a cast of New York City Ballet luminaries Sara Mearns, Tyler Angle, and more, with costumes by Todd Snyder and Oscar de la Renta. Watch here for free.

5. Pennsylvania Ballet
Streaming Dates: December 16-25
Pennsylvania Ballet presents an archival recording of George Balanchine's The Nutcracker, with a cast of dancers that includes Lillian DiPiazza as the Sugarplum Fairy, Sterling Baca as Her Cavalier, and Mayara Pineiro as Dewdrop. Click here for tickets.

6. Hershey Felder's Tchaikovsky — Live from Florence
Streaming Date: December 20-27
Not a traditional Nutcracker per se, but this virtual production, created by and starring Hershey Felder, explores the composer's life in Florence, Italy, and has an extended focus on the creation of the Nutcracker ballet, in honor of the Christmas season. Click here for tickets.

7. Mid-Columbia Ballet's Clara's Tri-Cities Nutcracker Dream
Streaming Date: Now through the holiday season
Washington's Mid-Columbia Ballet presents a free site-specific film of The Nutcracker, using the Tchaikovsky score and a cast of 160 performers performing the choreography of Mia Alexander, David Arce, Baleigh Bierman, Amber Davis, Torrie Mower, Susan Presti, Debra Rogo, Rebecca Rogo, Angela Streetman, and Allie Yates. Debra Rogo directs with Broadway's Janet Krupin (If/Then). Watch for free here.