Ballet Theatre Opens Holiday Season with 50th ‘Nutcracker’

Ballet Theatre of Scranton, under the artistic direction of Joanne Arduino, will kick off the holiday season with it’s 50th anniversary annual performances of The Nutcracker at the Theater at North over Thanksgiving weekend on Friday Nov 28, Saturday Nov 29 ,and Sunday  Nov 30, at 12 noon and 5:30 pm each day. 

This traditional gift to the community has offered free public performances since 1976. Free tickets can be picked up at the box office at the Theater at North on the day of the specific performance, two hours prior to curtain.

A sensory friendly performance is offered to an invited audience as well as the traditional educational performances for area school children. 

A Jubilee Performance will be held on Saturday, November 29, 2025, at The Theatre at North. Alumni are invited to arrive at 4:00 PM for check-in, with a commemorative photo on stage at 4:30 PM, followed by the performance at 5:30 PM. This milestone performance will be a joyful reunion of past and present cast members, honoring the legacy of Ballet Theatre of Scranton and the generations of dancers who have brought The Nutcracker to life. 

Over 100 local dancers from ages 9- adult will perform and will feature alumna Laura Durkin as Sugarplum Fairy and professional guest artists Sanford Placide (previously of Dance Theater of Harlem, NYC) and Philadelphia Ballet principal dancers Arian Molina Soca and Dayesi Torriente. 

All performances are free and open to the public, with reserved seating available through Nutcracker Benefactor donations by Nov 1.

For more information, call 570-347-2867 or visit www.balletscranton.org