MY FIRST NUTCRACKER Comes to the New York City Children's Theater
Performances run December 6-21 at Theatre Row.
By: Stephi Wild Nov. 11, 2025
New York City Children’s Theater will continue its 29th season with MY FIRST NUTCRACKER, a holiday classic reimagined for ages 3 to 8 to provide family entertainment in a 50-minute holiday show. Adapted for young audiences by Barbara Zinn Krieger and directed and choreographed by Kristen Brooks Sandler, MY FIRST NUTCRACKER celebrates imagination, family, tradition, and female empowerment. Clara-Marie and the Prince travel to a magical kingdom filled with dancing flowers, delicious treats, and a pesky mouse king in this reimagined interactive holiday classic running December 6-21 at Theatre Row (410 West 42nd Street).
The cast features Gabbie Ballesteros (Clara Marie); Morgana Mauney (Mother); Adam Wedesky (Fritz); Quincy Southerland (Prince/Drosselmeyer); Chauncey Pauley (Swing); and Unissa Cruse (Swing).
“We’ve reimagined My First Nutcracker so that children become part of the story from the moment they enter the theater. They’re welcomed as Clara Marie’s friends, invited to dance beside her, and discover the joy of storytelling through movement and imagination. It’s a Nutcracker unlike any other, where families don’t just watch the magic unfold, they help create it,” said Barbara Zinn Krieger, Writer and Artistic Director.
MY FIRST NUTCRACKER has scenic design by Theron Wineinger; costume design by Sophie Lee Morris; lighting design by Shelbey Loera; and sound design by Evan Cook. Props Manager is Emily Mustillo and Kat Vaccaro is Wardrobe Supervisor. Lindsay Pierce is Production Stage Manager with Eleanor Rauschenberg as Assistant Stage Manager.
ABOUT MY FIRST NUTCRACKER:
MY FIRST NUTCRACKER is a spellbinding reimagined production designed to inspire young children and stir the hearts of adults who cherish the full-length ballet. It weaves a fantastical tapestry of Nutcracker magic that sparks children’s imagination while rekindling nostalgia in parents. Written by Barbara Zinn Krieger and directed and choreographed by Kristen Brooks Sandler, it will run December 6-21 at Theatre Row (410 West 42nd Street). This wonderful holiday tradition, featuring the music of Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, is best for ages 3 to 8 and runs approximately 50 minutes.
Audiences are invited to be guests at Clara-Marie’s holiday party! As in the classic tale, Clara Marie receives a Nutcracker from her beloved godfather. When the Nutcracker transforms into a Prince, audiences join them as they travel to the Land of the Sweets. Under sparkling skies, complete with dancing flowers, and a pesky mouse king, this interactive telling of the holiday classic is specially reimagined for young theatergoers! Blending breathtaking visuals, dynamic movement, spoken storytelling, and immersive theatrical magic, the production whisks young audiences and their families into a world where their participation enlivens the performance. Timeless themes of imagination, curiosity, courage and joy unfold.
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