Name: The Nutcracker
Start: 2025-11-29T19:00:00
End: 2025-12-28T13:00:00
Location: Warner Theatre

A DC-Holiday Tradition for Over 60 Years

Experience the magic of the holidays with The Washington Ballet’s The Nutcracker, a cherished DC tradition featuring over 380 talented dancers! From our dedicated students to our professional company, witness a spectacular performance set in historic Georgetown. Enjoy the familiar story with unique local touches, including George Washington as the Nutcracker and a springtime cherry blossom scene. This visual feast offers holiday joy for all ages. Don’t miss this special production that showcases the vibrant talent of the entire Washington Ballet team. Treat yourself and your family this holiday season.

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Groups of 10 or More Seats Save!

**Experience The Ballet Company of the Nation’s Capital**

Groups of 10 or more can save on ALL productions. Whether you’re a group of professionals, students, neighbors, family, or friends, The Washington Ballet will help you create memories that will last long after the performance has ended.

Take Advantage of Group Tickets Discounts!

Discounts and Benefits

Discounts:

Parties of 10-15 will receive a 10% discount.
Parties of 15-20 will receive a 15% discount.
Parties of 20 will receive a 20% discount.

Benefits:

Avoid venue single sale fees.
FREE exchanges with flexibility on ticket amount.
Personal group sales liaison.

Next Steps

To secure a group sale ticket offer:

Please complete the form below to initiate your group sale request
A 15% non-refundable deposit will need to be provided to reserve tickets.
All payments must be paid 2 weeks prior to the performance.
Flexible payment plans can be personally set up to fit the needs of the party.

The Nutcracker Group Sales Request

Let The Washington Ballet transform your group experience with one of our world-class performances. The Washington Ballet has been celebrated for its artistic excellence for 40 years. With a minimum of 10 people, and ticket prices as low as $41, our Group Ticket Discounts can be tailored to fit any budget.

Name

First Last

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Select a Saturday Performance Date(s)

Saturday Matinee Price Per Seat (Before Group Discount): Level 1 – $150 Level 2 – $140 Level 3 – $130 Level 4 – $100 Level 5 – $75 Saturday Evening Price Per Seat (Before Group Discount): Level 1 – $140 Level 2 – $120 Level 3 – $100 Level 4 – $70 Level 5 – $48

Select a Sunday Performance Date(s)

Sunday Matinee Price Per Seat (Before Group Discount): Level 1 – $150 Level 2 – $140 Level 3 – $130 Level 4 – $100 Level 5 – $75 Sunday Evening Price Per Seat (Before Group Discount): Level 1 – $135 Level 2 – $115 Level 3 – $90 Level 4 – $65 Level 5 – $48

Select a Tuesday Performance Date(s)

Tuesday Price Per Seat (Before Group Discount): Level 1 – $135 Level 2 – $115 Level 3 – $90 Level 4 – $65 Level 5 – $48

Select a Wednesday Performance Date(s)

Wednesday Price Per Seat (Before Group Discount): Level 1 – $135 Level 2 – $115 Level 3 – $90 Level 4 – $65 Level 5 – $48

Select a Thursday Performance Date(s)

Thursday Price Per Seat (Before Group Discount): Level 1 – $140 Level 2 – $120 Level 3 – $100 Level 4 – $70 Level 5 – $48

Select a Friday Performance Date(s)

Friday Price Per Seat (Before Group Discount): Level 1 – $150 Level 2 – $140 Level 3 – $130 Level 4 – $100 Level 5 – $75

Total # Tickets Requested

Please enter a number greater than or equal to 10.

Add total number of tickets requested only

Preferred Ticket Price Range Per Seat

With a minimum of 10 people, and ticket prices as low as $41, our Group Ticket Discounts can be tailored to fit any budget.

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10am - 12pm

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2pm - 4pm

Preferred Group Seat Location(s)

Please select 1-2 choices, in some cases seats will need to be placed separately to accommodate entire group.

The Nutcracker Synopsis

It’s Christmas Eve in 1882 in a Georgetown mansion. Clara and her family prepare for a holiday celebration. As the guests arrive, Clara’s mysterious godfather, Mr. Drosselmeyer, enters with his handsome young nephew, who greets Clara with a kiss on her hand. Drosselmeyer entertains the guests with a puppet show and dancing dolls and presents Clara with a special gift—a nutcracker.

Jealous of his sister’s present, Fritz seizes the nutcracker and breaks it. As the party ends, Clara sadly places the nutcracker under the Christmas tree. Later that night, after everyone has gone to bed, Clara tiptoes downstairs to retrieve her nutcracker. Suddenly, the room fills with scurrying mice. Eventually, Clara falls asleep and begins to dream. When the clock strikes midnight, Drosselmeyer’s magic begins. The Christmas tree grows and a battle ensues between a brigade of toy soldiers led by a life-sized nutcracker against the Rat King and his menacing rats. As the Rat King nears victory, Clara distracts him, enabling the nutcracker to kill him. Suddenly, the nutcracker is turned into a handsome prince. He leads Clara through the enchanted winter to a glorious springtime.

Clara and her Nutcracker Prince travel to Springtime, where the cherry blossoms are in full bloom. They are greeted by the Sugar Plum Fairy, her Cavalier and her attendants: butterflies, mushrooms and other woodland creatures. When the Prince tells them how Clara saved his life, the Sugar Plum Fairy summons her subjects to entertain them with wonderful dances—Spanish and Chinese dances, a duet for an Anacostian brave and maiden. Brilliant red cardinals frolic with a Tom Cat; an American frontiersman dances with frontier girls; Mother Barnum dances with her circus clowns; and the waltz of the Cherry Blossoms is led by the Dew Drop Fairy. The celebration comes to a spectacular climax when the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier perform a grand pas de deux. Just before the curtain falls, we see Clara asleep with her nutcracker, marking an end to her magical journey.

History of TWB's The Nutcracker

The Nutcracker was originally based on the story of The Nutcracker and the Mouse, written by German author E.T.A. Hoffmann. Years later, Alexander Dumas rewrote the story, making it happier and more fun for kids to read. In 1891 Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky was commissioned to write the music for a new ballet based on the stories by the St. Petersburg Opera, but he was initially unhappy with the setting of a children’s Christmas party.

The legendary choreographer Marius Petipa presented Tchaikovsky with an exact scenario, including rhythm, tempo and number of measures for each dance. Petipa later became ill and the choreography was completed by his assistant, Lev Ivanov.

The Nutcracker debuted on December 17, 1892 in the Mariinsky Theatre in Russia, which is still the home of the Kirov Ballet today. The original cast included ballet students, just as The Washington Ballet and The Washington School of Ballet does today. The Nutcracker was not performed outside of Russia until 1934, when Nicholas Sergeyev staged it at the Sadler’s Wells Theatre in England.

The Nutcracker was first mounted by The Washington Ballet in 1961. The production by TWSB and TWB founder Mary Day was performed in Constitution Hall and, beginning in 1992, at The Warner Theatre. In 2004, the Company premiered a new all-American version of The Nutcracker by Artistic Director Septime Webre, designed just for Washington, DC.

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Location

Warner Theatre

513 13th Street, NW Washington, DC 20004 202.783.4000

202.783.4000

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The Nutcracker

Overview

Calendar

Location

Approximately 2 Hours

A DC-Holiday Tradition for Over 60 Years

Become a 2024.25 Season Subscriber and save up to 20% on tickets!

Subscribe Now – Save & Get Season Perks!

Groups of 10 or More Seats Save!

**Experience The Ballet Company of the Nation’s Capital**

The Nutcracker Group Sales Request

The Nutcracker Synopsis

History of TWB's The Nutcracker

November 2025

Calendar for The Nutcracker

Location

Warner Theatre