Cirque du Soleil's 'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE... and More Set for DPAC Holiday Lineup

The Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC) will celebrate the 2026 holiday season with a lineup of festive performances, including the return of Cirque du Soleil's 'Twas the Night Before..., running November 25 through December 6.

The holiday programming will also feature NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet, A Drag Queen Christmas, Theatre in the Park's A Christmas Carol, Straight No Chaser, and The Hip Hop Nutcracker.

Cirque du Soleil's 'Twas the Night Before... returns to DPAC for an extended engagement, bringing the company's holiday production back to Durham. The show combines acrobatics, theatrical storytelling, and seasonal music in a reimagining of the classic Christmas poem.

The holiday season begins November 19 with NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet, followed by A Drag Queen Christmas on November 20. Theatre in the Park's A Christmas Carol will take the stage December 16–20, followed by a holiday concert from vocal group Straight No Chaser on December 23.

The lineup concludes December 27 with The Hip Hop Nutcracker, which reimagines the classic holiday ballet through contemporary dance and hip-hop music.

DPAC 2026 Holiday Performance Schedule

• NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet — November 19
• A Drag Queen Christmas — November 20
• 'Twas the Night Before... by Cirque du Soleil — November 25–December 6
• Theatre in the Park's A Christmas Carol — December 16–20
• Straight No Chaser — December 23
• The Hip Hop Nutcracker — December 27