New Jersey Ballet’s beloved “The Nutcracker” returns to Mayo Performing Arts Center from Dec. 12–27, 2025, bringing splendid dancing, eye-popping special effects and a touch of holiday magic to Morristown. Tchaikovsky’s iconic score will be performed live by New Jersey Symphony, adding symphonic sweep to a production recommended for ages 4 and older. The running time is two hours, including one intermission.
Now in its sixth decade, New Jersey Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” is the state’s longest-running original professional staging. The production debuted in Millburn in 1971 with New York City Ballet star Edward Villella as the Cavalier. Since then, the company has given about 800 performances in theaters across New Jersey, featuring more than 5,000 dancers and children and welcoming more than 1 million audience members. Many who first saw the ballet as children now return with their own children and grandchildren, a testament to the work’s multigenerational appeal.
At MPAC, audiences can expect the hallmarks that have made this staging a tradition: brilliant classical technique, expressive pantomime, glorious costumes and theatrical illusions that transform living rooms into snow-dusted forests and candy-colored kingdoms. Critics have called the production “a spectacle that never seems to age ... magic that should go on and on” and “one of the best ... as good as it gets.”
Performances include evening and matinee options throughout the run, including 7:30 p.m. shows on Dec. 12 and Dec. 19; 1 and 6 p.m. shows on Dec. 13–14, Dec. 20–21 and Dec. 27; a 1 p.m. matinee on Dec. 24; and 1 and 6 p.m. shows on Dec. 26. Families planning group outings will find multiple weekend choices as well as a Christmas Eve matinee. A full calendar and ticket availability are posted on MPAC’s website.
MPAC will also present a sensory-friendly performance at 1 p.m. Friday, Dec. 26. Designed to create a supportive, welcoming environment for patrons with sensory sensitivities, the performance will feature moderated sound and light levels and a relaxed house policy that allows audience members to talk, vocalize and leave or re-enter the seating area as needed. Sensory-friendly programming is supported by a grant from the George A. Ohl Jr. Trust.
Founded in 1958, New Jersey Ballet has long balanced classical works with contemporary voices. Under Artistic Director Maria Kowroski, a former New York City Ballet principal, the repertory has expanded to include works by George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Christopher Wheeldon, Justin Peck, Peter Martins and Gustavo Sansano, alongside new commissions from Harrison Ball and Lauren Lovette. The company’s statewide presence includes performances, educational outreach and community engagement that introduce new audiences to ballet while sustaining tradition.
New Jersey Symphony performs the “Nutcracker” score live at MPAC, bringing color and immediacy to Tchaikovsky’s music. Led since 2016 by Music Director Xian Zhang, the orchestra has emphasized adventurous programming and broad community connections, including collaborations and commissions that reflect New Jersey’s diversity. The partnership with New Jersey Ballet underscores a shared goal: making world-class performing arts accessible to audiences of all ages.
Tickets, a detailed performance calendar and additional information are available at mayoarts.org.
“A spectacle that never seems to age … magic that should go on and on.”