Ballet AZ Blog

Your Ballet Arizona 101 Guide to “The Nutcracker”

 

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Ballet Arizona’s production of The Nutcracker. Photo by Rosalie O’Connor.

The holiday season is officially here which means everyone is as busy as ever! The Nutcracker is our favorite holiday tradition, shocking – we know. But hey we are proud of our production, one that New York Times chief dance critic, Alastair Macaulay, rated among the Top 3 in the nation. So we put together a 101 guide to attending our production of The Nutcracker, so you have one less thing to worry about during the holidays!

The Nitty Gritty

  • Performance Dates: Opens Thursday, December 13th and runs through Monday, December 24th
  • Location: As always we perform at Symphony Hall in Downtown Phoenix. Address: 75 N 2nd St, Phoenix, AZ 85004
  • Parking: The most important part of it all! There are plenty of parking options around Symphony Hall and we’ve included a list for you below and typically costs between $8 – $15. Just remember there is a lot going on downtown during this time of year so plan accordingly. If parking sounds like to much of a hassle, consider taking a Lyft or and Uber. Plus you can arrive early and make a day/night of it by enjoying lunch or dinner at a nearby restaurant!
    • Regency Garage – 2nd St, south of Adams
    • Civic Plaza West Garage – Off 2nd St, south of Monroe
    • Chase Garage – NW corner of Monroe & 2nd St
    • Heritage Garage – Monroe & 5th St
    • East Garage – 5th St & Washington
    • Wells Fargo Garage – SW corner of 1st Ave & Adams
  • Box Office: Our Box Office opens 1 hour before the start of the show, including Will Call. So whether you need to pick up your tickets or buying them the day of the show, you’ll have plenty of time! Forgot your tickets at home? No problem – one of our lovely box office staff will be happy to reprint them for you!
Mimi Tompkins and Ethan Prince as Sugar Plum Fairy & Cavalier in Ballet Arizona's The Nutcracker. Photo by Alexander Iziliaev.
Mimi Tompkins and Ethan Prince as Sugar Plum Fairy & Cavalier in Ballet Arizona’s The Nutcracker. Photo by Alexander Iziliaev.

Lobby Goodies

You have your tickets and your through the doors, now you can relax and take in the grandeur of Symphony Hall’s lobby! From the garland hanging from the mezzanines to the giant Christmas tree, our lobby is sure to fill you with some holiday spirit. Now let’s give you a breakdown of everything there is to do:

  • Nutcracker Gift Shop: We would be silly not to tell you all about our Nutcracker Gift Shop (hint, we have lots of nutcrackers)! Whether you want the classic soldier, a Mouse King or mix it up with a Jedi from a galaxy far far away, there is a nutcracker for everyone and anyone.
  • Sugar Plum Fairy Photos: Be a star yourself and get your picture with the iconic Sugar Plum Fairy. Located right next to our big Nutcracker Gift Shop, you won’t be able to miss it!
  • Nutcracker Story Reading: Every performance we will have a reading of our Nutcracker story so that you and your little one’s can follow along with the ballet!
  • Treats: There are goodies galore in our lobby – with two bars and a coffee shop with a range of sweets! Plus you can order your drinks ahead of time and have them ready for you during intermission so you can skip the lines and the stress. Just remember drinks and food are not allowed inside the Hall.

Keep in mind that you can upgrade your Nutcracker experience this year with our Capture The Magic Package! With early entry into Symphony Hall, a yummy hot chocolate, a photo with our Sugar Plum Fairy, and a pair of signed pointe shoes from one of our ballerina’s, it will make your Nutcracker performance a forever memory!

Mother Ginger and Bon Bons in Ballet Arizona's production of The Nutcracker. Photo by Alexander Iziliaev.
Mother Ginger and Bon Bons in Ballet Arizona’s production of The Nutcracker. Photo by Alexander Iziliaev.

One last thing, we promise! Another goodie we are adding this year is our Family Fun Nights. On three select dates: 12/13, our 12/16 evening performance, and our 12/21 matinee performance, we are going to have some extra activities like a coloring station and a ballet class for children to make your experience even more spectacular for FREE*!

*please note that you will still need to purchase tickets to The Nutcracker in order to attend our Family Fun Nights.
Angels in Ballet Arizona's The Nutcracker. Photo by Rosalie O'Connor.
Angels in Ballet Arizona’s The Nutcracker. Photo by Rosalie O’Connor.

Still have questions? We hope not! But just in case click here to find performance times and our Box Office contact information.

 

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