Roxey Ballet will return to The College of New Jersey this Thanksgiving weekend with its 31st annual production of “The Nutcracker.”
The ballet will be staged at Kendall Hall Main Stage Theater on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 28 and 29, at 2 p.m., with additional performances Friday, Dec. 4, at 10 a.m. and Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 5 and 6, at 2 p.m.
The 2026 production marks the company’s return to the TCNJ stage after more than five years.
Directed and choreographed by Mark Roxey, the two-act production follows Clara as she encounters mice, toy soldiers, snowflakes, flowers, the Sugar Plum Fairy and other characters from the Land of the Sweets.
This year’s production will include new professional dancers, new community performers, refreshed choreography and expanded theatrical elements. The company said the production will retain the traditional story and Tchaikovsky score that have been part of the ballet for generations.
Professional dancers will perform alongside young dancers and community performers, a combination that has long been part of Roxey Ballet’s annual production.
The return to Kendall Hall gives the company access to a larger theatrical setting for the production. The show will feature hand-built scenery, original costumes, theatrical lighting and special effects.
Roxey Ballet has presented “The Nutcracker” for more than three decades, making the production one of the company’s longest-running traditions. This year’s performances also come after several years in which the company was away from the TCNJ stage, including the period surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and the effects of Hurricane Ida.
The production is designed to appeal both to longtime ballet audiences and to families bringing children to a professional ballet for the first time.
Roxey Ballet is again offering several programs aimed at families and younger audience members in connection with the performances.
Children ages 4 to 10 can take part in pre-performance workshops before select shows. The workshops will include dancing with characters from the production, an introduction to the story and movement inspired by Tchaikovsky’s music.
The workshops are intended to give children some familiarity with the characters and music before seeing the full production onstage.
Post-performance autograph sessions also will be offered after select performances, giving children a chance to meet characters they have just seen in the ballet.
Characters expected to take part include the Sugar Plum Fairy, Nutcracker, Rat King, Dew Drop, Snow King and Snow Queen, Clara and the Prince.
Santa Claus and other holiday characters also are expected to make an appearance during the production.
The Friday, Dec. 4, performance at 10 a.m. will be presented as a relaxed and sensory-friendly school matinee.
The adapted performance will include adjustments to sound and lighting and a more relaxed theater environment for children and adults with autism, sensory sensitivities and other needs.
The sensory-friendly performance is part of Roxey Ballet’s effort to make professional dance accessible to audiences who may find a traditional theater setting difficult.
Before the mainstage performances begin, the company also will hold its Nutcracker “Suites” & Tea Party on Sunday, Nov. 15, at the Mill Ballet School in New Hope, Pennsylvania.
Sessions are scheduled for 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
The 90-minute program is geared toward younger children and families and will include refreshments, performances by Roxey Ballet dancers, photographs and autographs with Nutcracker characters and storytime with the Sugar Plum Fairy.
Children also will be able to take part in a Nutcracker-themed dance class.
The tea party gives families an opportunity to meet performers and characters before seeing the full production later in the month.
Roxey Ballet’s 2026 “Nutcracker” season continues a tradition that has brought professional dancers, students and community performers together in the production for 31 years.
For returning audiences, the TCNJ performances will mark the return of a familiar holiday production to Kendall Hall. For younger audience members, the company is hoping the show can serve as an introduction to ballet and live theater.
Roxey Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” will be performed at Kendall Hall Main Stage Theater, 2000 Pennington Road, Ewing.
Performances are Saturday, Nov. 28, and Sunday, Nov. 29, at 2 p.m.; Friday, Dec. 4, at 10 a.m.; and Saturday, Dec. 5, and Sunday, Dec. 6, at 2 p.m.
For tickets and more information, go to roxeyballet.org/nutcracker.
