George Balanchine’s
The Nutcracker®
We are thrilled to celebrate the 2026 holiday season with you! There is something truly magical about coming together during the holidays, and we cannot wait to bring CPYB back to this iconic stage for an unforgettable celebration of dance, tradition, and the season. Tickets now on sale! We look forward to welcoming you back to Hershey Theatre!
Let the Holiday Magic Come to Life with George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker!
Whether a holiday tradition or a first-time discovery, ‘The Nutcracker’ is an annual gift every family will want to be part of!
Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet has been hosting a Nutcracker performance yearly since 1965. Shortly after starting, CPYB became the only school in the world with the license to perform George Balanchine’s Nutcracker. Since then, ours has been one of the most sought-after Nutcracker performances to attend or participate in. This performance is enjoyable for the whole family.
Performance Length: Act I – 49 min. — Act II – 41 min.
Experience the Magic at our Nutcracker Show!
Savor the magic of the holidays with a treat for the whole family, George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker®!
BACK for 2026 – Hershey Theatre
When:
December 19, 2026 at 1:00PM and 5:00PM
December 20, 2026 at 2:00PM
Pricing*:
Seating Group A (Orchestra and Loge) – $50.00
Seating Group B (Balcony) – $40.00
Where:
Hershey Theatre, Hershey, PA
Whitaker Center
When:
December 12, 2026 at 1:00PM and 5:00PM
December 13, 2026 at 2:00PM
Pricing*:
Level one – $49.00 Adults, $49.00 Children
Level two – $45.00 Adults, $40.00 Children
Level three – $35.00 Adults, $30.00 Children
*Prices above do NOT reflect a $6.00 service fee applied to each ticket purchased.
Where:
Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts, Harrisburg, PA
Explore
The brilliant dancers of Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet bring Balanchine’s winter classic to life with larger-than-life sets and dazzling costumes set to the magical music of Tchaikovsky.
The first Nutcracker performance was in 1892 by the Moscow Imperial Theatre and later made its appearance in the United States in 1944. The story is loosely based on the E.T.A. Hoffman fantasy about a girl, Marie, befriending a Nutcracker that comes to life on Christmas Eve and battles the Mouse King. This memorable story connects with everyone from children to adults and leaves everyone feeling in the holiday spirit.
Production Credits
Ballet in two acts, four scenes and prologue
Based on: The Nutcracker and the Mouse King (1816) by E.T.A. Hoffman
Composer: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Choreography: George Balanchine
Répétiteur: Darla Hoover
Scenery: C. David Higgins, Carlos I. Arditti
Thank you to our Sponsors
Presenting Sponsor
Capital Blue Cross
Season Underwriter
F&M Trust
Fostering a Love of Ballet Begins Here
Our Children’s Division is for 3 Year Olds and Up.
Enrolling your child in a ballet class helps them build confidence, creativity and coordination and provides great exercise.
Watch your child’s focus, thoughtfulness, and imagination grow with ballet. At Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, children learn coordination, ballet vocabulary, and respect for all in a progressive sequence based on their development.