So I love the Ballet, I always have even as a child. My grandmother took my sister and I every year to see the Nutcracker in the city. We loved it for months before we dreamed of being on stage. This year we will be taking our daughters. I want to share what is going on at the Ballet this is the year to go. They have many special events and some very affordable tickets (as low as $20) so you too can take your child. My son has been and loves it also.
Pennsylvania Ballet Celebrates 25 Years of
George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™
December 8-30 at the Academy of Music
New this year! Pennsylvania Ballet is proud to partner with The Salvation Army. At performances of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™, audience members are invited to bring a new, unwrapped toy for a child in need. Once collected at the theater, these toys will be distributed to families across the Delaware Valley throughout the holiday season and beyond.
Starting at just $20, tickets to all 23 performances of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™ at the Academy of Music are on sale now. Tickets are available online at paballet.org, by phone at 215.893.1999, and in person at the Kimmel Center Box Office.
George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™ performances at the Academy of Music:
Saturday, December 8 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Sunday, December 9 at noon and 5 p.m.
Friday, December 14 at 7 p.m.
Saturday, December 15 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Sunday, December 16 at noon and 5 p.m.
Thursday, December 20 at 7 p.m.
Friday, December 21 at 7 p.m.
Saturday, December 22 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Sunday, December 23 at noon and 5 p.m.
Monday, December 24 at noon
Wednesday, December 26 at noon and 5 p.m.
Thursday, December 27 at 2 p.m.
Friday, December 28 at 2 p.m.
Saturday, December 29 at 2 p.m.
Sunday, December 30 at noon and 5 p.m.
Groups of 10 or more get discounts and great seats! Ask about backstage tours, special talks with staff and dancers, and dining options near the theater for your group. For tickets and more information, contact Group Sales Manager Arajua Backman at 215.587.6921 or abackman@paballet.org.
Pennsylvania Ballet’s Holiday Happenings
“Nutcracker Magic” Children’s Party
Saturday, December 8 at noon
The Bellevue and Academy of Music
Don’t miss Pennsylvania Ballet’s glorious holiday party, a family tradition for the past 25 years. Children will be charmed by entertainers, crafts, games, and costumed characters like the Sugarplum Fairy and the Mouse King, plus a delicious lunch, all inside the magnificent ballroom at The Bellevue. All children will be invited to make a holiday card for a patient at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Following the food and festivities, guests will enjoy a performance of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™ at the Academy of Music at 2 p.m. This annual family party is co-chaired this year by Quyen Mark, Jennifer Shacklett, and Luba Shvayko. Tickets to Nutcracker Magic are $150 or $250, and sponsorship opportunities are available from $500 to $5,000. All sponsors receive free George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™ tickets to donate to the charity of their choice. For more information and tickets, contact Manager of Special Events Barbara Vogdes at 215.587.6916 or bvogdes@paballet.org, or visit paballet.org. 
Tea with the Sugarplum Fairy
Sunday, December 9 at 2:30 p.m. (Choose the noon or 5 p.m. performance.)
Saturday, December 22 at noon (2 p.m. performance)
DoubleTree by Hilton
Join the Sugarplum Fairy in the ballroom at the DoubleTree by Hilton, across the street from the Academy of Music! Enjoy a delectable buffet of sandwiches, desserts, tea and hot cocoa, along with the chance to take photos with the Sugarplum Fairy, and a magical matinee performance of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™. Prices start at $75 and include your performance ticket and buffet. To order, contact Group Sales Manager Arajua Backman at 215.587.6921 or abackman@paballet.org, or visit paballet.org.
Nutcracker Story Time
Thursday, November 29 at 11 a.m. at Please Touch Museum
Thursday, December 6 at 10:15 a.m. at Philadelphia City Institute Library
Join the Sugarplum Fairy for a reading of the Nutcracker story.
Give the gift of ballet this holiday season! Pennsylvania Ballet’s Children’s Enchantment Fund enables underserved families to see George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™ free of charge. One performance ticket is distributed for every $35 tax-deductible donation. To make a donation, please call Annual Fund Manager Jessica Holl at 215.587.6913 or visit paballet.org.
Connect with us! Follow Pennsylvania Ballet on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube to go behind-the-scenes anytime, day or night.
George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™ is presented by First Niagara.
PECO is a Lead Sponsor of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™.
For more information, visit paballet.org or call 215.551.7000.
enjoy and support the arts
