The first Nutcracker performance I ever saw was on a cold winter night in downtown Salt Lake City. Unlike most people who get to experience this fabulous story at a young age, I was already (newly) married and my wife and I had been invited to attend with some family members.

It was the time I had the pleasure of seeing the magic that is the Nutcracker ballet.

With its popularity increasing ever since the mid-1900s, this ballet is being performed by more and more ballet and theatre companies the world over, especially during Christmastime and the winter holidays.

The Seattle area is no stranger to this production, either, with more and more area high schools even putting on the performance.

However, if you only get the chance to see one Nutcracker performance this year in Seattle, make sure you get tickets for the one performed by the Pacific Northwest Ballet. A magical story made even more magical by a terrific ballet company, the Pacific Northwest Ballet Nutcracker is one of the most well-known productions of the storied ballet, and has been praised all over the country as a new take on a traditional story.

History of the Pacific Northwest Ballet Nutcracker
The current style of the Nutcracker performed here in Seattle first premiered in 1983, and is due to the combination of two giants: 1) Kent Stowell, the choreographer and founding artistic director of the Pacific Northwest Ballet; 2) Maurice Sendak, an accomplished children's book author and illustrator and production designer behind the Nutcracker.

While most ballet performances of the Nutcracker focus on the lighter aspect of the story, the version here in Seattle tries to remain a bit more true to the original story by E.T.A. Hoffman, titled "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King." This version is a bit more dark psychologically, aligning more closely with Tchaikovsky's wonderful score, but will nonetheless leave audiences breathless and waiting to return the following year.

When it first debuted in 1983, a press release sent out by the Pacific Northwest Ballet included the following:

[The Nutcracker performances had] an incredible 99% audience capacity...26 performances were presented from December 13 - 31 to 78,0000 people; approximately 16% of Seattle's population!

So if you're going to be in Seattle during the winter holidays, be sure to call the box office at (206) 441-2424 or go online at www.pnb.org to get tickets for the Pacific Northwest Ballet Nutcracker performance. You will not be disappointed.

Back from the Pacific Northwest Ballet Nutcracker.