Atlanta Ballet’s The Nutcracker returns to the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre from December 5 to 26, 2026. The production uses Yuri Possokhov’s staging, created exclusively for Atlanta Ballet in 2018, and features Tchaikovsky’s score played live by the Atlanta Ballet Orchestra, with students from the company’s own school in the cast.
Key Takeaways
- Atlanta Ballet’s The Nutcracker runs December 5 to 26, 2026, at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Cobb County’s Galleria area.
- Choreographer Yuri Possokhov reimagined The Nutcracker exclusively for Atlanta Ballet in 2018.
- The Atlanta Ballet Orchestra performs Tchaikovsky’s score live at every performance.
- Students from the Atlanta Ballet Centre for Dance Education join the company on stage.
- Performances open December 5 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and close December 26 at 2 p.m.
Atlanta Ballet’s Nutcracker Was Built for This Company
Many ballet companies stage a version of The Nutcracker licensed from elsewhere or passed down from an earlier production. Atlanta Ballet’s version was made for the company. Yuri Possokhov, a choreographer with more than 35 years of experience, reimagined The Nutcracker exclusively for Atlanta Ballet in 2018, and his staging has defined the company’s holiday season since.
The story follows Marie and her Nutcracker Prince through a dreamlike winter world of falling snowflakes, twirling flowers and spinning stars. Possokhov’s production pairs traditional stage magic with present-day stage technology, including lighting effects and immersive video projections. The result is a Nutcracker that Atlanta audiences can see only in Atlanta.
The Atlanta Ballet Orchestra Plays the Score Live
Every performance of Atlanta Ballet’s The Nutcracker is accompanied by the Atlanta Ballet Orchestra playing Tchaikovsky’s score live. For families attending their first ballet, the orchestra pit is part of the experience. The music that many people know from holiday commercials and shopping playlists arrives in its original form, played by musicians a few feet from the stage.
Live accompaniment also ties the production to the city’s working arts community. The orchestra, the dancers and the production crew together make The Nutcracker one of the largest annual arts productions staged by an Atlanta company.
Students From the Atlanta Ballet Centre for Dance Education Share the Stage
The Nutcracker is also where many young Atlanta dancers get their first professional stage experience. Students from the Atlanta Ballet Centre for Dance Education, the company’s school, appear alongside the professional dancers. The student cast schedule for the 2026 run was set this fall.
The scale of that involvement was clear last season. The 2025 production cast 195 students from the Centre for Dance Education, with 35 children rotating into each performance. For metro Atlanta families, that means the children on stage are often classmates, neighbors and local students who trained in the company’s studios.
The Production Behind the Snowfall
Possokhov’s Nutcracker is a large production to move and mount. Last season, Atlanta Ballet brought more than 250 costumes and eight tons of lighting, scenery and props to Cobb Energy Centre, carried in nine semi-trucks. Hand-painted sets and video projections work together to shift the stage from a family holiday party to the snow scene and the Land of Sweets.
Planning a Visit to Cobb Energy Centre
Atlanta Ballet’s The Nutcracker opens Saturday, December 5, with performances at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The schedule includes a 1 p.m. performance on Christmas Eve, and the run closes Saturday, December 26, at 2 p.m. Doors open 90 minutes before each performance.
The Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre uses an Atlanta mailing address at Two Galleria Parkway but sits in the Cumberland and Galleria area of Cobb County, outside the city limits. Visitors coming from Midtown or Downtown should plan for travel time along Interstate 75. Tickets are available through Atlanta Ballet and the Cobb Energy Centre box office.
The Nutcracker caps a busy run of holiday traditions across the metro area, which begins with Piedmont Park’s Light Up the Season celebration and its new Holiday Lantern Parade on November 22.
The Nutcracker Anchors Atlanta Ballet’s 2026 to 2027 Season
Atlanta Ballet, founded in 1929, presents The Nutcracker as part of its 2026 to 2027 season under Artistic Director Gennadi Nedvigin. Subscribers can add the production to their season package. The season also includes The Great Gatsby, choreographed by Septime Webre, and a world premiere of Swan Lake by Remi Wörtmeyer, all at Cobb Energy Centre.
The 2026 production is presented by The Carlos Family in Honor of Thalia N. Carlos.
FAQs
When Is Atlanta Ballet’s The Nutcracker in 2026?
Atlanta Ballet’s The Nutcracker runs December 5 to 26, 2026. Opening day has performances at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and the final performance is December 26 at 2 p.m.
Where Does the Atlanta Ballet Perform The Nutcracker?
The Nutcracker is performed at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, Two Galleria Parkway, in the Cumberland and Galleria area of Cobb County. The venue uses an Atlanta mailing address.
Who Choreographed Atlanta Ballet’s Nutcracker?
Yuri Possokhov choreographed the production. He reimagined The Nutcracker exclusively for Atlanta Ballet in 2018.
Is There a Live Orchestra at Atlanta Ballet’s Nutcracker?
Yes. The Atlanta Ballet Orchestra plays Tchaikovsky’s score live at every performance.
Do Children Perform in Atlanta Ballet’s Nutcracker?
Yes. Students from the Atlanta Ballet Centre for Dance Education perform alongside the company’s professional dancers. In 2025, 195 students took part, with 35 children in each performance.
