Poinsettias & Pointe Shoes

Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School and Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens are teaming up for Poinsettias & Pointe Shoes, a shortened, family-friendly version of The Nutcracker that runs Monday, November 23, and Tuesday, November 24, 2026. It's a condensed take on the ballet, staged to pair with Phipps Holiday Magic, so it works as a standalone evening rather than a full-length production.

The performance features vignettes from Terrence S. Orr's The Nutcracker, including the 'Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy' and the 'Waltz of the Flowers,' performed by pre-professional dancers from the PBT School. After the show, you can meet the dancers and tour the Conservatory's poinsettias, glowing evergreens, and other festive displays.

There's some good local history behind the two names here. Phipps Conservatory was gifted to the City of Pittsburgh by Henry Phipps in 1893; it's a historic 14-room glasshouse with 23 gardens that draws more than half a million visitors a year. Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, led by artistic director Adam W. McKinney, celebrated its 55th anniversary this year and has been the city's premier professional ballet company since 1969.

If you want the full story, your ticket also gets you 50% off PBT's full-length The Nutcracker at the Benedum Center, which runs December 4–27, 2026. Poinsettias & Pointe Shoes plays Monday, November 23, at 5:30 PM, 6:45 PM, and 8 PM, and Tuesday, November 24, at 5:30 PM and 6:45 PM. Tickets are $38 for adults and $20 for children.