Colorado Ballet Continues 2026-2027 Season with Timeless Holiday Favorite The Nutcracker November 28-December 27, 2026
Sensory-Friendly and Pay What You Can Performances Available
Presented by PNC Bank
DENVER, CO (October 21, 2026) — Colorado Ballet continues its 2026-2027 season with the holiday favorite The Nutcracker, with performances at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House from November 28-December 27, 2026. The Nutcracker will feature multiple different casts of dancers and live music performed by the Colorado Ballet Orchestra. The Nutcracker is presented by PNC Bank.
“The Nutcracker has been part of Colorado families’ holiday celebrations for 66 years, and that never gets old,” said Artistic Director Gil Boggs. “Every season, our dancers and musicians look forward to sharing this magical production with our audience, and we’re thankful to everyone who makes us part of their holiday tradition.”
Additionally, for the fifth year in a row, Colorado Ballet will present a sensory-friendly performance on November 29, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. This performance will feature sensory-friendly adaptations including eliminating or reducing potentially startling special effects, lighting and sounds, and relaxing traditional house rules, such as allowing patrons to move freely within the theater during the performance and to exit and reenter as needed.
“We’re committed to making The Nutcracker an inclusive and memorable experience for all, and we’re proud to offer both a sensory-friendly performance and a Pay What You Can performance this season,” shared Executive Director Sameed Afghani. “We look forward to welcoming even more of our community from Colorado and beyond to share the beauty of ballet.”
About The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker has been a cherished holiday tradition for more than 65 years! Based on E.T.A. Hoffman’s timeless story, The Nutcracker follows Clara and her Nutcracker Prince on an enchanted journey into the Land of Snow and the Kingdom of the Sugar Plum Fairy. Brimming with mischievous mice, twirling snowflakes, and dances from many lands, the ballet features Tchaikovsky’s beloved score performed live by the Colorado Ballet Orchestra.
Performance Information
Tickets start at $40 and can be purchased at coloradoballet.org or call Patron Services at (303) 339-1637 to purchase tickets.
To continue to reduce the number of ticket resellers, please purchase directly through Colorado Ballet via the website or phone number listed above. Tickets purchased through resellers may not be valid.
Colorado Ballet will present The Nutcracker at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House (1385 Curtis Street, Denver, CO 80204).
Pay What You Can Performance
For every production in our 2026/2027 season, Colorado Ballet will offer one designated Pay What You Can performance. Patrons may choose the ticket price that works best for their budget, making it easier for more people to enjoy world-class ballet in Denver. The Pay What You Can Performance for The Nutcracker will take place at 6:30 p.m. on November 29, 2026. Tickets go on sale November 15, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. For more information, visit Coloradoballet.org/Pay-What-You-Can
Sensory-Friendly Performance: November 29, 2026
Colorado Ballet presents select performances in a relaxed environment with sensory friendly adaptations. These adaptations provide an inclusive space for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities, ASD, SPD, and other sensory sensitives or disabilities. Tickets are available online at: Coloradoballet.org/Sensory-Friendly-Performances
Upcoming Productions
Single tickets and subscriptions are now on sale at www.coloradoballet.org.
Romeo and Juliet
January 29-February 7, 2027
Travel to Renaissance Italy for Shakespeare’s immortal tale of two lovers. The Colorado Ballet presents the Colorado premiere of John Cranko’s grandly theatrical Romeo and Juliet—one of the definitive versions of this timeless story, performed by companies around the world. Sergei Prokofiev’s sublime and bombastic score will be performed live by the Colorado Ballet Orchestra. Presented by Mary Ellen and David Wright.
The Wizard of Oz
March 5-14, 2027
Follow the yellow brick road! Colorado Ballet brings L. Frank Baum’s beloved classic to life. Internationally acclaimed choreographer Septime Webre—creator of ALICE (in wonderland)—blends classical and contemporary ballet with vibrant storytelling. Matthew Pierce’s vibrant, genre-blending original score will be performed live by the Colorado Ballet Orchestra.
MasterWorks
April 9-18, 2027
Triple the thrill! Colorado Ballet’s annual repertory production, MasterWorks features a captivating trio of masterpieces that showcase the dancers’ artistic excellence and versatility. With music as dynamic and compelling as the choreography, this program offers a rich array of styles, giving audiences a rare chance to experience classical and contemporary dance on the same program. The 2027 program features George Balanchine’s joyous Allegro Brillante, Lynne Taylor-Corbett’s luminous Chiaroscuro, and Jiří Kylián’s exuberant Sinfonietta. Sponsored by The Denver Ballet Guild and Stifel – Baroway Financial Group.
About Colorado Ballet
Presenting exceptional classical ballet and innovative contemporary dance through performances, training, education and community engagement, Colorado Ballet continues to inspire and grow an increasingly diverse audience base in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1961 by Lillian Covillo and Freidann Parker, Colorado Ballet is a non-profit organization celebrating 66 years of excellence. As a world-class professional company serving more than 100,000 national and international patrons, Colorado Ballet presents 58 performances annually to sold-out audiences in the 2,000-seat Ellie Caulkins Opera House. The Company’s 43 professional dancers and 17 studio company dancers come from all over the world. Colorado Ballet’s The Armstrong Center for Dance, a 35,000-square-foot building, boasts eight state-of-the-art professional dance studios and amenities for the professional Company.
Under the direction of Artistic Director Gil Boggs, Colorado Ballet performs classical ballet masterpieces, full-length story ballets, and its critically acclaimed repertory production MasterWorks, featuring varied works from neoclassical ballets to world premieres. The Raydean Acevedo Colorado Ballet Academy serves more than 1,200 students from toddlers to seniors each year. Colorado Ballet’s Education & Community Engagement department provides high-quality educational opportunities for preschool through adults. The department makes 47,000 contacts each year with a variety of youth, families, teachers, and people with and without disabilities, reaching over 300 schools and organizations. For more information, please visit coloradoballet.org.
