Logo for The Nutcracker featuring stylized nutcracker soldier with the text 'The Nutcracker' in red lettering.

THE
NUTCRACKER

Experience the wonder of the holidays with Macomb Ballet Company’s cherished production of The Nutcracker.

Celebrate the spirit of the holiday season with the Macomb Ballet Company, as Artistic Director Amber Megna Michalik, and Assistant Directors Hannah Carden, Brandon Koepsell, and Mary Sherman bring you the traditional holiday favorite, The Nutcracker at the Macomb Center for the Performing Arts. Travel with Clara on a magical adventure to a land reined by a Snow Queen, and be led by Snowflakes, through an enchanted forest to a Kingdom of Sweets, filled with colorful characters and pure festive delight. The Nutcracker will captivate audiences, both young and old, and is sure to keep hearts warm and spirited all season long!  

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2025
1pm (Sensory Friendly) & 7pm

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2025
1pm & 7pm

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2025
12pm & 5pm

EVENT DETAILS

  • Join the Macomb Ballet Company for a magical holiday tradition at the Macomb Center for the Performing Arts.

    Performance Dates and Times:

    Friday, December 19, 2025
    1:00 PM – Sensory-Friendly Performance
    7:00 PM – Evening Performance

    Saturday, December 20, 2025
    1:00 PM – Matinee
    7:00 PM – Evening Performance

    Sunday, December 21, 2025
    12:00 PM – Early Matinee
    5:00 PM – Closing Performance

    Performance Duration:
    Approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes, including one 15-minute intermission.

    Recommended Age:
    Perfect for audience members of all ages.

    Tickets:
    $30
    (Includes Macomb Center processing fees. Base ticket price is $27.)

    Venue:
    Macomb Center for the Performing Arts
    44575 Garfield Road
    Clinton Township, MI 48038
    Phone: (586) 286-2222
    Website: www.macombcenter.com

    Additional Information:
    A meet-and-greet with select cast members will take place in the lobby following each performance.

  • Our story begins on Christmas Eve at the festive Stahlbaum family party, where guests arrive, mingle, and dance while the children eagerly anticipate their presents. The mood shifts as a mysterious figure, Herr Drosselmeyer, the magical toymaker, makes his entrance. With a flourish, he unveils his exquisite gifts: beautifully crafted dolls, each dressed in lavish costumes.

    Clara, the young daughter, is captivated by the display, and Drosselmeyer, noticing her wonder, presents her with a special nutcracker doll. The other children, envious of her gift, cause Clara’s brother Fritz to accidentally break the nutcracker. Drosselmeyer magically repairs it, and the celebration continues. As the night wears on, the guests begin to leave, and Clara, now drowsy, checks on her beloved Nutcracker one final time before falling asleep with it in her arms.

    At the stroke of midnight, magic fills the air. The room comes alive as mice invade, and toy soldiers spring to life, led by Clara's Nutcracker, who bravely commands them in battle. As the battle rages, Clara watches in awe as the Christmas tree begins to grow, stretching higher and higher into the night sky, filling the room with sparkling light.

    Just as the Nutcracker is about to be defeated by the fearsome Mouse Queen, he transforms into a prince. With a grateful smile, he invites Clara on an unforgettable adventure to the Kingdom of Sweets. Together, they journey through a snowy forest, where dancing snowflakes and angels guide them on their way to a realm of pure festive wonder.

    ACT II

    Clara and the Nutcracker Prince arrive at the magical Kingdom of Sweets, where they are warmly welcomed by Dew Drop and the Cavalier, the rulers of this enchanted realm. Overjoyed by their arrival, Dew Drop and the Cavalier invite Clara and the Prince to a grand celebration held in their honor.

    The vibrant festivities begin with the fiery Spanish dancers, their movements full of passion, accompanied by the lively sound of trumpets and castanets. The graceful Coffee dancers sway like rising steam, while the Mandarin Tea dancers enchant with their delicate, exotic flute melodies. The Russian dancers dazzle with their energetic Trepak, leaping and spinning with infectious vigor. Marzipan Shepherdesses lead their flock of fluffy sheep in a charming display, while the joyful Clown children circle around Mother Ginger in a playful dance. The beautiful flowers, with their graceful movements, dance to the sweet sounds of the harp.

    Amidst the celebration, Dew Drop transforms Clara into the Princess of the Land of Sweets. Clara dances with the Cavalier, and the jubilant festivities reach their grand finale, a dazzling display of joy and magic.

    As the celebration and the magical kingdom begin to fade, Clara awakens, holding her beloved Nutcracker close. Was it all just a dream, or did she truly journey to a world of wonder?

  • Music by
    Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky

  • Choreographed by
    Artistic Director Amber Megna Michalik
    Assistant Directors Hannah Carden, Brandon Koepsell, and Mary Sherman
    Rehearsal Director Brian Wirgau

  • 2025 Nutcracker Poster

    2025 Program

“MBC’s Nutcracker gets better every year—such talent and professionalism on stage!”

Ballet dancers in colorful costumes performing on stage with a fairy tale castle and whimsical backdrop.
Ballet performance on stage with a colorful fantasy castle backdrop, dancers dressed in pastel costumes, in a theatrical production.
Ballet dancers performing on stage with pink and red Christmas-themed decorations, including a decorated Christmas tree and festive garland, during a holiday ballet show.
Ballet dancers performing on stage with a colorful whimsical backdrop of a fairy tale village and decorated trees, all dressed in pastel costumes with some wearing fairy wings.
A stage performance with dancers in colorful costumes, a large yellow skirted female character on a raised platform, and a stylized pink and purple castle backdrop with whimsical houses and trees.
Ballet dancers performing a Chinese New Year themed dance with a girl in a pink and white tutu holding a red folding fan, and another girl holding a colorful dragon prop, with other dancers in yellow costumes and dragon heads in the background.
A stage performance of a ballet with dancers in colorful costumes, set against a backdrop of a whimsical, fairy-tale castle and garden scene.
Ballet dancers in colorful costumes performing on stage with a fairy tale backdrop of houses, trees, and a castle in pinks and greens.
A group of dancers dressed as toy soldiers performing on stage with a decorated Christmas tree and starry backdrop in the background.
Children performing a holiday ballet on stage decorated for Christmas, with a Christmas tree, garland, and large colorful balls.
The cast of a theatrical production, dressed in elaborate period costumes, taking a bow on stage at the end of a performance.
Ballet performance on stage with children in colorful costumes, a ballerina dancing, Christmas tree, and ornate pink and red background with chandeliers and curtains.
A theatrical ballet performance with dancers in white tutus on stage, set against a snowy winter backdrop with trees, a castle, and a moon overhead.
Children dressed in costumes performing on stage, including a girl in a dog costume with a balloon, with pink and purple stage lighting and smoke effects.