PBT’s new production of The Nutcracker will stay true to the classic story and its primary characters while bringing back traditional characters who were missing from PBT’s previous version. Beloved characters, including Marie, Fritz, Uncle Drosselmeyer, The Nutcracker, Rat King, Snow Queen and King, Snowflakes and Sugar Plum Fairy will remain in this version of the ballet. Audiences will be thrilled to see the return of favorite characters such as Mother Ginger and the Dew Drop Fairy. Delightful new characters inspired by Pittsburgh will also be introduced in Act II divertissement dances.

Prologue & Epilogue, 1956

  • Grandmother Marie Stahlbaum-Schönfeld – The young heroine from 1906, now a grandmother, who shares her Nutcracker adventure with her granddaughter Clara
  • Clara Schönfeld – Grandmother Marie’s granddaughter. She admires her grandmother and loves listening to her stories.
  • Great-Uncle Fritz Stahlbaum – Marie’s brother and Clara’s great-uncle. He was a curious boy and still has these tendencies.

Party Scene, 1906

  • Young Marie Stahlbaum – A young teenage girl who is somewhat shy, curious by nature and quietly brave.
  • Young Fritz Stahlbaum – Marie’s younger brother, who is inquisitive and inventive. He sometimes finds himself involved in mischief.
  • Mr. Stahlbaum – Marie and Fritz’s father. He is an electrical engineer at Westinghouse Electric Company.
  • Dr. Stahlbaum – Marie and Fritz’s mother. She works as a medical physician for Irene Kauffman Settlement House.
  • Grandmother – Marie and Fritz’s grandmother.
  • Grandfather – Marie and Fritz’s grandfather.
  • Uncle Drosselmeyer – Marie and Fritz’s ingenious and quirky uncle, who guides Marie on her magical journey.

Battle Scene, 1906

  • Rat King – The evil leader of Burrowland, whose true identity holds a mysterious connection to Marie’s family.
  • Mice & Rats – Fight with the Rat King of Burrowland against Marie, the tin soldiers and the Nutcracker Prince.
  • Tin Soldiers – Fight with Marie and the Nutcracker Prince against the mice, rats and Rat King of Burrowland.
  • Nutcracker Prince – Previously the Nutcracker doll, he has now grown in size and transformed into the human Nutcracker Prince.

The Land of Snow, 1906

  • Snow Queen – Along with the Snow King, the ruler of The Land of Snow, who leads the snowflakes and icicles. She greets Marie and her group as they enter the forest.
  • Snow King – Along with the Snow Queen, the ruler of The Land of Snow, who leads the snowflakes and icicles. He greets Marie and her group as they enter the forest.
  • Snowflakes – Female dancers who dance at dizzying speeds to create snowstorms and blizzards.
  • *Icicles – Male dancers who dance at dizzying speeds to create snowstorms and blizzards.

Act II – The Cloud Kingdom, 1906

  • *Angels– PBT School Student dancers who perform with the Fireflies at the beginning of Act II, greeting Marie and her group as they arrive at The Cloud Kingdom.
  • *Fireflies – PBT School Student dancers who perform with the Angels at the beginning of Act II, before Marie and her group arrive at The Cloud Kingdom.
  • Sugar Plum Fairy – She is the ruler of The Cloud Kingdom and welcomes Marie, the Nutcracker Prince and Drosselmeyer to her realm. She performs a graceful solo and Pas de Deux with the Nutcracker Prince.
  • *Squirrel & Acorns (represents Pittsburgh’s hills and lush greenery) – Squirrels & acorns perform a spirited dance, celebrating local culture. [Formerly “Jubilation/Spanish Dance”]
  • *Baseball players (pays homage to Pittsburgh’s love of sports and baseball – Baseball players play an animated game of baseball
    [Music: Written for the original production of The Nutcracker (1892), however, not typically included in most versions of The Nutcracker today.]
  • *Steel (pays homage to Pittsburgh’s steel history) – A steel worker makes an entrance atop a steel girder and performs a stunning solo. [Formerly “Joy/Chinese Dance”]
  • *Geodes (inspired by Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s displays in Hillman Hall of Gems and Minerals) – Two geodes sparkle in the moonlight. [Formerly “Elegance/Arabian Dance”]
  • *Pierogies – This lively dance with a soloist and PBT School students is a nod to Pittsburgh’s variety of cultural foods. [Formerly “Exuberance/Russian Dance]
  • *The Three Sisters – (represent Pittsburgh’s Three Sister Bridges: the Roberto Clemente, Andy Warhol and Rachel Carson bridges) A lively Pas de Trois for three soloists [Formerly “Harmony/Marzipan Dance”]
  • Dew Drop Fairy – She leads the “Waltz of the Flowers” dance.
  • Waltz of the Flowers (inspired by Phipps Conservatory) – This large group dance is led by the beautiful *Dew Drop Fairy. It includes male and female dancers as flowers, along with bees portrayed by PBT students.
  • *Mother Ginger – Mother Ginger returns to the PBT stage. Designed as a gingerbread house, she is onstage with her gingerbread children for an animated dance.
  • *Gingerbread – Eight PBT School students portray gingerbread cookies that make a surprising and fun appearance with Mother Ginger. Uncle Drosselmeyer joins in on the fun. [Music: traditional Mother Ginger music from Tchaikovsky’s original score].

* New characters in the 2027 version of The Nutcracker