NUTCRACKER ROUGE Celebrates its 16th Anniversary This Holiday Season

Everyone’s favorite holiday classic, Nutcracker Rouge by Company XIV, hits the stage again this season at Bushwick’s Théâtre XIV. The show, now running for 16 years, returns to tantalize its guests with a 12-week limited engagement in the unassuming warehouse-style building, where everyone on the naughty list is rewarded with an impressive mix of acrobatics, dance, and theatrical performances. 

Step into this smoky lair of glitz and glam as your host, donning bejeweled underwear and a fur jacket, leads you to your seat. Depending on your ticket, you’ll be seated at a bar chair, a petite throne, a single chair in a plush seat, or a champagne couch for two with a half bottle of champagne.

If you don’t get the bubbles at your seat, you can certainly get a glass to bottle at one of the bars before the show and during the intermission. Between the Moet & Chandon Rose, Dom Perignon, and house brut, there’s plenty of fizzy sips to choose from, along with a wide selection of handcrafted cocktails and small bites like black truffle potato chips, lemon-stuffed green olives, and chocolate truffles.

As for performances, vocalist Pepper Solana comes back as Drosselmeyer, swaying Marie-Claire to the Kingdom of the Sweets by singing the intoxicating, sultry number “Sugar," written by Company XIV’s own resident songwriter LEXXE. 

If a jaw-dropping balance routine is your thing, you’ll want to keep an eye on Kylie Rose as Champagne, who gracefully walks along champagne bottles in sparkly stilettos. For those looking for a laugh, twin Nicholas and Ross Katen will provide just that as Banana Split in their iconic comedic act that involves tap-dancing and stripping, as you guessed it, bejeweled bananas.

New to the show this year is Kyla Ranney as Turkish Delight, who flips and flies high, suspended on straps from the ceiling. Erin Dillon, known as Cherry in the show, also makes her debut with the company this year, taking to the air in a heart-shaped aerial hoop, spinning, dangling, and posing for the audience below.

While each act is a standout, the one that completely captivates us comes near the end, when the Sugarplum Fairy and her Nutcracker Prince engage in a stunning ballet duo performance barely clothed for the most alluring version of classical ballet you’ll ever see. 

Nutcracker Rouge is a must-see for the holidays and those looking to break away from classical tradition and embark on a fun, sexy good time. Catch Nutcracker Rouge now through January 31, 2026.

Théâtre XIV is located at 383 Troutman St, Brooklyn, NY 11237. For tickets and reservations, please visit companyxiv.com.

(Photos courtesy of Company XIV, Deneka Peniston, and Mark Shelby Perry)