Get a peek behind the scenes of BBT's production of The Nutcracker
On Thanksgiving weekend, Boca Ballet Theatre will ring in the holiday season with one of the world’s most famous ballets: The Nutcracker. While many have seen this ballet from the audience, few have the opportunity to witness what happens behind the scenes to bring the magic of The Nutcracker to life!
As we prepare for our performances on November 27-29, 2026, we’re offering a peek behind the scenes of this spectacular production, including an exclusive look at the costumes, sets, and special effects audiences can look forward to this holiday season!
Want to see these sets and costumes up close?
Don’t forget to reserve your tickets to BBT’s Gingerbread Ball, which invites children onstage to meet the cast of the show following the matinee performances of The Nutcracker on November 28 & 29, 2026! Get pictures and autographs, explore the show’s sets and props up close, and marvel at our dancers in their lovely costumes!
Explore worlds filled with holiday spirit, snowflakes, and sweets
From Clara’s glittering home to the vibrant Land of Sweets, The Nutcracker ushers audiences through a myriad of worlds that capture the imagination! Each scene features gorgeous hand-painted backdrops and legs that make each location vivid and immersive. Audiences can also expect incredible set pieces in the Battle Scene, where toy soldiers come marching out of Fritz’s castle to fight the Mouse King and his legion of mice and rats. Beneath the stunning lighting design of Maxwell Guin, these sets transform the stage and transport the audience through the breadth of Clara’s imagination!
Bringing the magic of The Nutcracker to life
To bring the magic of The Nutcracker to life, our crew works hard to create the many dazzling special effects featured in this production! From the cold spark machines that display Uncle Drosselmeyer’s magic to a 42-foot tall Christmas tree that rises to tower over our dancers, this ballet is filled with incredible stage tricks sure to mesmerize!
Did you know that during the snow scene, our crew drops almost 150 gallons of plasticine flakes that create the impression of snow flurries onstage? To give an air of mystery and magic, we also produce low-hanging fog during Clara’s journey between worlds. You don’t want to miss these amazing effects live onstage this November!
Gorgeous costumes sure to dazzle
Ms. Ines pictured with the cast of The Nutcracker!
With a cast of dozens of dancers across four different scenes, The Nutcracker features a vast array of costumes for each unique character! These costumes were originally designed by June Landrith, who directed ballet companies in Topeka and Wichita, Kansas. She coached both Dan Guin and Jane Tyree before they moved to Florida. (Fun fact: June gave Jane bangs in 1989, and Jane has had them ever since!)
In addition to the romantic and classical platter tutus we know and love, this show features a variety of intricate costumes, including a custom-made Nutcracker head that our Prince wears before his transformation, a crowned rat’s head for our Rat King, and a dress so large that Mother Ginger must wear stilts to ferry her Gingersnaps onstage!
Our costume mistress Ines Aperlo Lopez works long hours to ensure each costume fits its dancer perfectly! During production week and our performances, Ines is on standby for all manner of costume emergencies. We couldn’t perform onstage without her!
Props props everywhere!
No stage production is complete without the props that make each scene feel immersive and interactive! Many cast members carry signature items like Bo Peep’s shepherdess crook and the Nutcracker’s sword, which help the dancers accentuate their movement and fully realize their characters. Our show features almost a hundred hand-crafted props, each managed by prop mistress Susan Buck, who makes sure each item is ready and waiting for its performer backstage!
“Props are necessary for any theatrical production to help tell the story that’s happening on stage,” Susan recently shared. “They make it more realistic. Most of our props have been made, many have been bought and altered, and some have to be bought each year—for example, the lollipop for the lost child in the party scene. Our props are used year to year, and some are even used for other shows, so many have to be fixed and updated on a regular basis.”
Susan’s favorite prop in this performance is, of course, one of the stars of the show: the Nutcracker she affectionately calls “Nutty.”
Ms. Buck readies the stage with the children’s props for the Party Scene.
Reserve your tickets to The Nutcracker today!
Clara‘s dream unfolds as the Nutcracker Prince, Mouse King, and Sugar Plum Fairy all come to life in this magical holiday production! This year’s featured guest artists include renowned professional dancers Emily Bromberg and Lucas Segovia.
Friday, November 27, 2026, at 7:30 PM
Saturday, November 28, 2026, at 2 PM and 7:30 PM
Sunday, November 29, 2026, at 2 PM
Olympic Heights Performing Arts Theater
20101 Lyons Rd, Boca Raton, Florida 33434