OKLAHOMA CITY – The holidays come alive each year in Oklahoma City.
With no shortage of theatre, live performances, music, and dance, families have many options for celebrating the season, and it’s no stretch to claim that, for any fan of dance, Oklahoma City Ballet’s annual production of “The Nutcracker” stands out as the best of them all.
The tale of “The Nutcracker” is simple and timeless: When a young girl falls asleep on Christmas Eve, her dreams become the storyline.
In the fairytale, her toy nutcracker comes to life as a dashing prince and she’s whisked away to the Land of Sweets, where sugarplums and desserts dance in her head. Each moment is more iconic than the last, and the music is recognizable as the quintessential sound of Christmas.
OKC’s resident ballet company, helmed by Artistic Director Ryan Jolicoeur-Nye, presents a dream of a dance, bringing the viewer into a Christmas wonderland, wibrant costumes, grand sets, and ethereal lighting to set the stage and create magic throughout the performance.
Principal artist Courtney Connor Jones portrays the Sugar Plum Fairy, and she dances the audience into a dreamlike trance.
It’s simply joyful to see Randolph Fernandez return to the stage as Hans/Nutcracker Prince, and Paige Russell is flawless as Marie, the young woman who falls asleep on Christmas Eve and dreams the tale laid out before us.
In Act II, standout moments occur in the Sugarplum Fairy court.
Based on different regions of the world, vignettes of performance bring an extra special moment to the overall tale. Each scene features matching costumes as desserts come to life and perform for the Sugar Plum Fairy.
Hot Chocolate is particularly recognizable by its costumes. Brown dresses flecked with white marshmallows flutter on air as a troupe of dancers- made up of Leah Reiter, Mickayla Carr, and Kesler Colton- float on the tips of their toes.
Pistachio Baklava is a showstopper, with Tessa Hogge and Oslaniel Castillo in a duet that is equal parts captivating and sensual. This is a favorite moment of many patrons, as these dancers present a feat of athleticism and skill.
Perhaps the most memorable thing about this ballet is the music that accompanies each scene.
The ballet partners with OKC Philharmonic to perform the music of Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker Suite” and The Canterbury Youth Voices, conducted by Niel DePonte, join the performance during an unforgettable moment.
The snowflake dance is holiday magic at its finest, and patrons are rapt during this scene. The combined forces of dance, orchestra, and choir make “The Nutcracker” a triple-threat of OKC’s most talented and skilled artistic displays.
As if the event isn’t magical enough, OKC Ballet has pulled out all the stops. The auditorium at the Civic Center Music Hall is filled with holiday decorations, creating a sparkling display everywhere the eye can see.
A holiday pop-up shop also accompanies each performance, with a boutique located on the North side of the lobby open before each performance of “The Nutcracker” with seasonal items like ornaments, collectible nutcrackers, and trinkets for all ages.
Also on display is a variety of regular season merch. The selection includes pointe shoes used by the dancers, t-shirts for “Swan Lake,” “Dia de los Muertos” items, and everything an avid ballet-goer would love to see in their stocking. The boutique is a beautiful addition to Christmas performances, and it’s a great chance to stock up on ballet-themed items.
While “The Nutcracker” is performed every year, it feels new each time, and thanks to a generous donation by Devon Energy, OKC Ballet revamped the production in 2024 with all new sets and costumes.
If you’ve seen it in years past, it’s wholly new and should be seen again with the whole family. If it’s new to you, that must be remedied.
OKC Ballet has proven once again that “The Nutcracker” remains the most delightful and worthwhile event of the holiday season.
“The Nutcracker” runs through December 23rd, 2025. Performances are at the Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N. Walker Ave in Oklahoma City, OK.
A sensory-friendly performance in collaboration with AutismOklahoma is presented on December 17th.
Tickets for all performances are available at okcballet.org or by calling the Civic Center Box office at (405) 594-8300.
Adrienne Proctor is a theater and arts writer in Oklahoma City. She's been contributing to the arts reporting space since 2017.
