Media Release
The Nutcracker Celebrates 30 Years of Magic
Six Exciting Debuts
November 20, 2025… Hope Muir, Joan and Jerry Lozinski Artistic Director of The National Ballet of Canada, shared today the casting for The Nutcracker by James Kudelka. The Nutcracker celebrates 30 years of magic December 5 – 31 at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto.
This season features several exciting debuts in lead roles. First Soloist Shaakir Muhammad and Second Soloist Josh Hall make their debuts as Peter/The Nutcracker. Making their debuts as the Snow Queen are Principal Dancers Beckanne Sisk and Agnes Su. Second Soloist Kota Sato debuts as Uncle Nikolai and First Soloist Hannah Galway as Baba.
The Nutcracker has captivated audiences of all ages, with over 1.3 million people attending 672 performances since its premiere in 1995. With Kudelka’s imaginative choreography, Tchaikovsky’s timeless score, breathtaking designs by Santo Loquasto and lighting by Jennifer Tipton, this beloved production continues to delight year after year.
Share the Magic
The National Ballet has brought the joy of dance to over 113,000 community members for free since 1986 with Share the Magic. This year 1,600 children and their families will enjoy a special presentation of The Nutcracker on December 4.
Casting
Peter/The Nutcracker
Larkin Miller (December 5, 13, 20, 23 at 7:00 pm/December 7 at 5:30 pm)
Keaton Leier (December 6, 30 at 2:00 pm/December 11, 19 at 7:00 pm/December 24 at 3:30 pm)
Siphesihle November (December 6, 17 at 7:00 pm/December 14, 21, 28 at 5:30 pm)
Naoya Ebe (December 7 at 1:00 pm/December 12, 18, 30 at 7:00 pm/December 24 at 11:00 am)
Kota Sato (December 9 at 7:00 pm/December 23 at 2:00 pm/December 28 at 1:00 pm)
Christopher Gerty (December 10, 16 at 7:00 pm/December 20 at 2:00 pm)
Josh Hall* (December 13 at 2:00 pm/December 27 at 7:00 pm/December 31 at 11:00 am)
Shaakir Muhammad* (December 14, 21 at 1:00 pm/December 27 at 2:00 pm/December 31 at 3:30 pm)
The Sugar Plum Fairy
Genevieve Penn Nabity (December 5, 13, 20, 23 at 7:00 pm/December 7 at 5:30 pm)
Koto Ishihara (December 6, 30 at 2:00 pm/December 11, 19 at 7:00 pm/December 24 at 3:30 pm)
Tirion Law (December 6, 17 at 7:00 pm/December 14, 21, 28 at 5:30 pm)
Tina Pereira (December 7 at 1:00 pm/December 12, 18, 30 at 7:00 pm/December 24 at 11:00 am)
Emerson Dayton (December 9 at 7:00 pm/December 23 at 2:00 pm/December 28 at 1:00 pm)
Heather Ogden (December 10, 16 at 7:00 pm/December 20 at 2:00 pm)
Brenna Flaherty (December 13 at 2:00 pm/December 27 at 7:00 pm/December 31 at 11:00 am)
Calley Skalnik (December 14, 21 at 1:00 pm/December 27 at 2:00 pm/December 31 at 3:30 pm)
Snow Queen
Isabella Kinch (December 5, 13, 19, 23 at 7:00 pm/December 7 at 5:30 pm)
Monika Haczkiewicz (December 6, 30 at 2:00 pm/December 11, 20, 27 at 7:00 pm)
Beckanne Sisk* (December 6, 17 at 7:00 pm/December 21, 28 at 5:30 pm/December 31 at 3:30 pm)
Svetlana Lunkina (December 7 at 1:00 pm/December 12, 18 at 7:00 pm/December 27 at 2:00 pm/December 31 at 11:00 am)
Jenna Savella (December 9 at 7:00 pm/December 13, 23 at 2:00 pm/December 14 at 5:30 pm)
Agnes Su* (December 10, 16 at 7:00 pm/December 20 at 2:00 pm/December 24 at 3:30 pm/December 28 at 1:00 pm)
Alexandra MacDonald (December 14, 21 at 1:00 pm/December 24 at 11:00 am/December 30 at 7:00 pm)
Baba
Stephanie Hutchison+ (December 5, 6, 11, 10, 13, 16, 18, 19, 23 at 7:00 pm/December 6, 20, 27, 30 at 2:00 pm/December 7 at 5:30 pm/December 14, 21, 28 at 1:00 pm/ December 24 at 3:30 pm/December 31 at 3:30 pm)
Hannah Galway* (December 9, 20 at 7:00 pm/December 14, 28 at 5:30 pm/December 23 at 2:00 pm/December 31 at 11:00 am)
Clare Peterson (December 12, 17, 27, 30 at 7:00 pm/December 7 at 1:00 pm/December 13 at 2:00 pm/December 21, 28 at 5:30 pm/December 24 at 11:00 am)
Uncle Nikolai
Donald Thom (December 5, 13, 20, 23 at 7:00 pm/December 7 at 5:30 pm/December 28 at 1:00 pm)
Josh Hall (December 6, 30 at 2:00 pm/December 11, 19 at 7:00 pm/December 24 at 3:30 pm)
Jason Ferro (December 6, 17 at 7:00 pm/December 14, 21, 28 at 5:30 pm)
Jack Bertinshaw (December 7 at 1:00 pm/December 9, 12, 27, 30 at 7:00 pm/December 23 at 2:00 pm/December 31 at 3:30 pm)
Ben Rudisin (December 10, 16 at 7:00 pm/December 14, 21 at 1:00 pm/December 27 at 2:00 pm)
Kota Sato* (December 13, 20 at 2:00 pm/December 18 at 7:00 pm/December 24, 31 at 11:00 am)
*Debut
+Guest Artist
Casting subject to change.
– 30 –
2025/26 Season Sponsor: BMO
iA Financial Group Presents The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker (1995) was made possible by generous financial support from production underwriters Sandra Pitblado, C.M. & Jim Pitblado, C.M., Susan Scace & Arthur Scace, C.M. and Lawrence & Ann Heisey.
The Nutcracker revitalization (2025) is made possible by generous financial support from production underwriters Laura Dinner & Richard Rooney, The Arrell Family Foundation and The Henry White Kinnear Foundation.
Share the Magic is generously underwritten by The Slaight Family Foundation with additional support from the Ada Slaight Fund.
The National Ballet of Canada’s Education and Community Engagement programmes are generously supported by the Anna McCowan-Johnson Dance Accessibility Fund at The National Ballet of Canada, Endowment Foundation.
Naoya Ebe is sponsored through Dancers First by Gretchen Ross.
Christopher Gerty is sponsored through Dancers First by Ms. Nancy Viner & Dr. Raymond Stein.
Tirion Law is sponsored through Dancers First by Anne-Marie Canning.
Svetlana Lunkina is sponsored through Dancers First by Anna McCowan-Johnson & Donald K. Johnson, O.C.
Siphesihle November is sponsored through Dancers First by Jerry Lozinski, O.C. & Joan Lozinski, O.C.
Heather Ogden is sponsored through Dancers First by Ira Gluskin & Maxine Granovsky Gluskin.
Genevieve Penn Nabity is sponsored through Dancers First by George & Kathy Dembroski.
Tina Pereira is sponsored through Dancers First by The Honourable Margaret Norrie McCain, C.C.
Ben Rudisin is sponsored through Dancers First by Sylvie Allard & Brian O’Keefe.
Jack Bertinshaw is sponsored through Dancers First by an Anonymous donor.
Hannah Galway is sponsored through Dancers First by Alison & Alan Schwartz.
Alexandra MacDonald is sponsored through Dancers First by an Anonymous donor.
Calley Skalnik is sponsored through Dancers First by an Anonymous donor.
Isabella Kinch is sponsored through Dancers First by Daphne Taras.
Keaton Leier is sponsored through Dancers First by Donald & Suzanne Kopas.
Kota Sato is sponsored through Dancers First by Tony Arrell, C.M. & Anne Arrell.
Clare Peterson is sponsored through Dancers First by an Anonymous donor.
The National Ballet of Canada gratefully acknowledges the ongoing support of the Canada Council for the Arts; the Ontario Arts Council; the City of Toronto through the Toronto Arts Council; the Government of Canada – Department of Canadian Heritage with the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture; and the Government of Ontario with the Honourable Stan Cho, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming and Minister of Sport.
Genevieve Penn Nabity and Larkin Miller in The Nutcracker. Photo by Karolina Kuras.
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NBOC@touchwoodpr.com
The National Ballet of Canada
Catherine Chang, Associate Director of Communications & Content Strategy
Kate Dresser, Communications Manager
Media@national.ballet.ca