Southwest Nutcracker Tickets

The "Southwest" Nutcracker is a clever twist on the old classic, and new characters like the Prickly Pear Fairy and dancing rattlesnakes are so much fun. Musicians and dancers were all wonderful. However, I want to raise the issue that I was deeply upset by the Native American dance in Act II, where predominantly white dancers wore black wigs and stylized "Native" costumes. Certainly Native people were a big part of the Tucson-area population in the 1880s when this story is set, and maintain a strong presence in Arizona today. But having white dancers "play Indian" contributes to the erasure of real Native people who are still struggling to gain recognition of their past and present existence. Until there are Native American dancers hired to play these characters, I strongly recommend omitting this scene from the production next year. *I recommend Philip Deloria's book "Playing Indian" to give more context to this issue.

Amazing story and the best ballet dancers. A ballet to go to every year!!! Highly recommended

First I will say, I suspect the one person who wrote a review saying it would be better without the SW flair, may be a competitor. The SW flair is what sets this ballet apart from the rest! This is a TUCSON original and classic. It’s beautiful and exciting from beginning to end and sure to make you smile. It’s evident the dancers train hard and are very professional. The smiles on their faces show their love for the art. The Tucson Symphony Orchestra is the whipped cream and cherry on top of this delightful treat! I love this ballet! The only problem I have is that I go home humming the the tunes to all the wonderful Nutcracker music for days!

The music was fantastic via the TSO. The dancing was delightful with amazing leaps and remarkable synchrony. The staging and backdrops were beautiful. This was a truly unique Tucson experience

In full disclosure, my daughter was a dancer in this production, so my review is not completely unbiased. The show is a fun take on the classic Nutcracker with the live symphony contributing significantly to the event. This is an excellent production, especially considering that these are not professional dancers, and are mostly high school students (and younger) that are performing. I would highly recommend this show as a part of your family's holiday tradition.

Revamping the ballet to a setting in the old South West was very imaginative! I enjoyed the performance very much. The sets and costumes were well done, and the choreography was well executed.

I have seen the English and Russian versions of the Nutcracker Ballet several times, but this version was so unique and appropriate to the Tucson venue. Music was fantastic, dancing was impressive, costuming was superb. Bravo!

I attend every year and never tire of this production. There are so many intricacies of what is happening on stage that I view it anew each year.

IT WAS THE BEST .. WOW .. THE MUSIC WAS THE BEST ,,

Growing up watching the original Nutcracker, I had expected much of the same when I saw this Southwest/Tucson version. However, although the Tucson Symphony played the original Nutcracker score absolutely beautifully, the Southwest characters transformed the ballet into a wonderous and delightful surprise! It was such fun to see the coyotes, little rattlesnakes, piñata, Mt Lemmon, and all. The look of Joy & wonder on the children's faces were nothing short of inspiring. And, of course, the ballet dancers were magnificent - we all left wanting to pirouette all the way home ,