The Deal

• One ticket to The Nutcracker, presented by Central Florida Ballet
• When: Saturday, December 13, at 2 p.m. or 7:30 p.m., or Sunday, December 14, at 2 p.m.
• Where: Orange County Convention Center’s Linda Chapin Theater
• Door time: one hour before showtime
• Full offer value includes ticketing fees

Seating Options

• $12 for orchestra section 104 rows J–L (up to $24 value)
• $19 for orchestra section 104 rows B–H (up to $38 value)
• $20 for orchestra section 101 rows A–D (valid for the 2 p.m. shows only; up to $40 value)
• $24 for orchestra section 101 (rows E–Q for the 2 p.m. show on 12/13, rows K–S for the 7:30 p.m. show on 12/13, and rows E–G for the 2 p.m. show on 12/14) (up to $48 value)
• $24 for balcony section 201 rows A-D (available for the 7:30 p.m. show on 12/13 and the 2 p.m. show on 12/14) (up to $48 value)

The Nutcracker

Based on a novel by 19th-century romantic fabulist E.T.A. Hoffman, The Nutcracker weaves a magical tale of holiday adventure around one of the most recognizable scores in the ballet repertoire. It begins when young Clara receives a nutcracker from her godfather, a wizardly toymaker named Drosselmeyer. Sneaking downstairs to see the toy after everyone else has gone to bed, she suddenly finds herself caught in the middle of a pitched battle between the toys and an army of mice. After saving the nutcracker with a well-thrown shoe to the Mouse King’s head, Clara and her now-living prince venture into the Land of Snow and the Land of Sweets to celebrate.

Throughout their adventures, a dazzling score from Tchaikovsky propels the dances of nimble flowers and regal fairy queens. The “Waltz of the Snowflakes” floats weightlessly above the angelic voices of a youth choir, whereas the “Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy” tiptoes to the haunting, music-box chimes of a celesta. A medley of exotic national dances—including a Spanish bolero and Russian Trepak—add to the phantasmagoric celebration before the whole dream ends, as all dreams must.

This version, dubbed “the pyrotechnic Nutcracker” by fans, has been a Christmastime staple for years, albeit one with an unconventional twist. Its cast members not only dance, but perform aerial acrobatics above a stage shimmering with fiber-optic effects and, at times, “ahh”-inducing flames.