THE NUTCRACKER
DECEMBER 4, 5, 6 and 11, 12 13
Tobin Center for the Performing Arts
Approx. 1 hour, 55 minutes including a 20 minute intermission
Performances
Student Matinee
Friday, December 4, 2026
10:00 AM
Ballet San Antonio’s Student Matinee of The Nutcracker (Act II) is a 50-minute, school-friendly performance featuring professional dancers that brings the magic of the Land of Sweets to life through vibrant storytelling, dance, and Tchaikovsky’s iconic score, offering an engaging and accessible introduction to this beloved holiday classic.
Opening Night
Friday, December 4, 2026
7:30 PM
Experience the magic of Opening Night with Ballet San Antonio’s full-length The Nutcracker—a dazzling holiday tradition featuring professional dancers, a cast of 100 children from across the San Antonio community alongside students from the School of Ballet San Antonio, and beloved community members as Mother Ginger, all brought to life with breathtaking choreography, stunning visuals, and Tchaikovsky’s iconic score performed by The Orchestra San Antonio.
Matinee Performance
Saturday, December 5, 2026
2:00 PM
Experience Ballet San Antonio’s full-length The Nutcracker—a dazzling holiday tradition featuring professional dancers, a cast of 100 children from across the San Antonio community alongside students from the School of Ballet San Antonio, and beloved community members as Mother Ginger, all brought to life with breathtaking choreography, stunning visuals, and Tchaikovsky’s iconic score performed by The Orchestra San Antonio.
Evening Performance
Saturday, December 5, 2026
7:30 PM
Experience Ballet San Antonio’s full-length The Nutcracker—a dazzling holiday tradition featuring professional dancers, a cast of 100 children from across the San Antonio community alongside students from the School of Ballet San Antonio, and beloved community members as Mother Ginger, all brought to life with breathtaking choreography, stunning visuals, and Tchaikovsky’s iconic score performed by The Orchestra San Antonio.
Matinee Performance
Sunday, December 6, 2026
2:00 PM
Experience Ballet San Antonio’s full-length The Nutcracker—a dazzling holiday tradition featuring professional dancers, a cast of 100 children from across the San Antonio community alongside students from the School of Ballet San Antonio, and beloved community members as Mother Ginger, all brought to life with breathtaking choreography, stunning visuals, and Tchaikovsky’s iconic score performed by The Orchestra San Antonio.
Sensory Friendly Performance
Tuesday, December 8, 2026
10:00 AM
Experience Ballet San Antonio’s sensory-friendly The Nutcracker (Act II)—a welcoming, adapted performance featuring professional dancers, adjusted lighting and sound, and a relaxed environment, bringing the magic of the Land of Sweets to life through beautiful choreography and Tchaikovsky’s iconic score performed by The Orchestra San Antonio.
Student Matinee
Friday, December 11, 2026
10:00 AM
Ballet San Antonio’s Student Matinee of The Nutcracker (Act II) is a 50-minute, school-friendly performance featuring professional dancers that brings the magic of the Land of Sweets to life through vibrant storytelling, dance, and Tchaikovsky’s iconic score, offering an engaging and accessible introduction to this beloved holiday classic.
Evening Performance
Friday, December 11, 2026
7:30 PM
Experience Ballet San Antonio’s full-length The Nutcracker—a dazzling holiday tradition featuring professional dancers, a cast of 100 children from across the San Antonio community alongside students from the School of Ballet San Antonio, and beloved community members as Mother Ginger, all brought to life with breathtaking choreography, stunning visuals, and Tchaikovsky’s iconic score performed by The Orchestra San Antonio.
Matinee Performance
Saturday, December 12, 2026
2:00 PM
Experience Ballet San Antonio’s full-length The Nutcracker—a dazzling holiday tradition featuring professional dancers, a cast of 100 children from across the San Antonio community alongside students from the School of Ballet San Antonio, and beloved community members as Mother Ginger, all brought to life with breathtaking choreography, stunning visuals, and Tchaikovsky’s iconic score performed by The Orchestra San Antonio.
Evening Performance
Saturday, December 12, 2026
7:30 PM
Experience Ballet San Antonio’s full-length The Nutcracker—a dazzling holiday tradition featuring professional dancers, a cast of 100 children from across the San Antonio community alongside students from the School of Ballet San Antonio, and beloved community members as Mother Ginger, all brought to life with breathtaking choreography, stunning visuals, and Tchaikovsky’s iconic score performed by The Orchestra San Antonio.
Closing Performance
Sunday, December 13, 2026
2:00 PM
Don’t miss the final performance of Ballet San Antonio’s full-length The Nutcracker—a dazzling holiday tradition featuring professional dancers, a cast of 100 children from across the San Antonio community alongside students from the School of Ballet San Antonio, and beloved community members as Mother Ginger, all brought to life with breathtaking choreography, stunning visuals, and Tchaikovsky’s iconic score performed by The Orchestra San Antonio.
SEND THE KIDS TO THE BALLET
All performances of The Nutcracker are part of our Send the Kids to the Ballet program, which provides children from local schools and community organizations with free tickets and transportation. This initiative is designed to reach those who might not otherwise have access due to economic, geographic, or personal barriers.
If your organization is interested in participating in the Send the Kids to the Ballet program, please contact Daniella Juarez, Director of Administration, at d.juarez@balletsanantonio.org.
About the Choreographers
HALEY HENDERSON SMITH
Haley grew up in Southern California where she trained with Clarissa Boeriu. At the age of 17, she received a contract with the Royal Danish Ballet and continued dancing there for six and a half seasons. While there, Haley had the privilege of creating roles in multiple works by Alexei Ratmansky, John Nuemier, and Tim Rushton, among others.
After dancing as a guest artist with American Ballet Theatre during their 2006 Metropolitan Opera House season, Haley danced for two seasons with Ballet San Jose, where she met her husband, Easton. From there they joined the cast of the pre-Broadway tour of Dirty Dancing where Haley performed in the ensemble and the lead character Penny.
After training in New York City with David Howard, Willy Buhrman, and Nancy Bielski, Haley joined Ballet West as a soloist in 2010 and was promoted to rank of principle in 2013. While at Ballet West she danced the full range of leading roles with the company including the principle woman in Balanchine’s Diamonds and Odette/Odile in Swan Lake. She also originated roles in works by Nicolo Fonte, Jodie Gates, Val Caniporoli, and Easton Smith. Haley was also a world ambassador for Gaynor Minden pointe shoes and featured in Dance Magazine’s women’s issue in 2012.
EASTON SMITH
Easton began his professional career at the age of 17 with the renowned director and choreographer Michael Smuin. During his seven years with Smuin Ballet, he recreated numerous leading roles from Michael’s tenure as Director of San Francisco Ballet, as well as originating many roles created for him by Michael at Smuin Ballet. Smith would go on to work as a leading male dancer for the Sacramento Ballet, as well as Ballet SanJose where he met his wife, Haley.
Easton and Haley joined the cast of the pre-Broadway tour of Dirty Dancing where Easton performed the leading role of Johnny Castle, as well as in the ensemble. Easton then joined the Broadway cast of Billy Elliot in New York City as Older Billy. After his work on Broadway, Easton and Haley decided to return to ballet and were invited to work with Ballet West under the direction of Adam Sklute as a Soloist. During his time with Ballet West, Easton also choreographed multiple pieces for the highly acclaimed Innovations Program.
Easton has had the opportunity to work with some of the most influential choreographers, repetiteurs, teachers, and directors of our time.
After his retirement in 2013, Smith became a commercial helicopter pilot focusing on private executive charters, production, and aerial firefighting for the United States Forest Service. During that time, he also held the title of President of Coastal Helicopters, an aviation company based in the Los Angeles area.
Smith now has a successful Real Estate Group at the number one market center of the world’s leading brokerage.
The Orchestra San Antonio
CONDUCTOR Leonardo Pineda
Venezuelan conductor Leonardo Pineda embodies a fusion of orchestral training, exceptional communication skills, and a refined conducting technique. He was described by composer Miguel Del Aguila as “An incredible conductor with a rhythmic clarity and musical structure that is very hard to find”. After receiving the distinction of 1st prize in 2022 for the Carlos Prieto Conducting Fellowship, he was described by Oacademy as "someone who has built an exceptional (and necessary) foundation for an ideal Music Director of the future”.
Leonardo's conducting trajectory at the Classical Music Institute (CMI) is marked by two defining moments of impromptu leadership. During the 2021/2022 season, as an assistant conductor, he replaced José Luis Gomez for a last-minute call to conduct a challenging program at the H-E-B Performance Hall–Tobin Center for the Performing Arts in San Antonio, Texas. This earned him an immediate appointment as The Orchestra San Antonio’s Resident Conductor under the CMI umbrella. The following season, Leonardo's versatility shone as he made his ballet conducting debut for Ballet San Antonio’s production of "The Nutcracker,'' leading to cover conducting duties for the 2023/24 and 2024-25 seasons for CMI’s collaborations with Ballet San Antonio (BSA), OPERA San Antonio (OSA), and all resident companies of the Tobin Center. He has played a key role in taking the CMI Orchestra, now The Orchestra San Antonio, to new heights while helping to expand the orchestra's size and recruit a diverse group of musicians. Leonardo takes every opportunity to shape CMI’s outreach efforts around storytelling, creating a variety of entry points for the different segments of the community, fostering educational, civic, and community engagement activities.
Leonardo's conducting path was guided by Harold Farberman and James Bagwell at Bard College, offering him podium time with both the Bard Conservatory Orchestra and The Orchestra Now. He has also had the privilege of working closely with José Luis Gomez, Leon Botstein, and Gemma New, further honing his craft. He was one of the selected participants worldwide to attend the European International Competition in Bulgaria in 2020. As a violinist, Leonardo has played under renowned conductors such as Fabio Luisi, Gustavo Dudamel, Marin Alsop, Neeme Järvi, Valery Gergiev, Carlos Prieto, Leonard Slatkin, Domingo Hindoyan, and Hans Graf.
Leonardo teaches at Bard College’s renowned orchestral training program, The Orchestra Now, where he also leads an educational platform called TŌNteaches that has now developed an educational partnership with the Classical Music Institute.
Production Credits
CO-CHOREOGRAPHERS
Haley Henderson Smith and Easton Smith
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Rafael Ferreras
CONDUCTOR
Leonardo Pineda
LIVE MUSIC
The Orchestra San Antonio
REHEARSAL DIRECTOR
Jacob Bush
WARDROBE SUPERVISOR
Katie Simpson
LIGHTING DESIGNER
Mike Palmer
DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION
Robert Grossman
STAGE MANAGER
Rebecca J. Simons
STAGEHANDS & TECH CREWS
Provided by I.A.T.S.E. Local 76
PRIMARY COMPANY PHYSICIAN
Lindsay Stephens, D.O., Sports Medicine Associates
PRIMARY PHYSICAL THERAPIST
Barbara Guarriello, PT, DPT, OCS, Texas Physical Therapy Specialists
Casting
To Be Announced
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H-E-B Hall
Tobin Center for the Performing Arts
100 Auditorium Circle
San Antonio, TX 78205 -
The Tobin Center offers convenient parking within two blocks of the venue.
Tobin Center Parking Garage
227 4th Street, San Antonio, TX 78205Parking is available for purchase in advance or upon arrival.
General: $20
Prepaid: $17
Reserved: $30
Prepaid Valet: $35
Valet: $40
To reserve parking, contact the Tobin Center Box Office at (210) 223-8624 or online HERE.
Drop-Off & Rideshare:
The patron drop-off and rideshare area is located on Auditorium Circle, to the left of the Tobin Center’s front steps.
To access: drive north on Jefferson Street and turn left onto Auditorium Circle. -
The Tobin Center is committed to providing an inclusive and accessible experience for all guests.
All entrances are wheelchair accessible
Accessible parking is available on all garage levels
Accessible seating is available for all performances
Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs) are available
Elevators are located throughout the venue
Companion care restrooms are available
Service animals are welcome
Wheelchairs are available upon request
For assistance with accessible seating or services, please contact the Tobin Center Box Office at (210) 223-8624.
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Mobile tickets are accepted—simply present on your phone
Prefer printed tickets? Log in to your TOBi account and reprint from Order History
Will Call and ticket reprints require a valid ID matching the ticket order
Note: All patrons, regardless of age, must have a ticket to enter.
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TASTE Fine Dining
Located in the McLaughlin Rotunda, offering a chef-driven seasonal buffet and desserts.
Dining begins 2 hours prior to showtime (select performances).TASTE Burgers & Beer
Casual dining with burgers, beer, cocktails, and snacks. No reservation required.Lobby Bites
Chef-curated snacks and appetizers available when doors open.Stout’s Signature at the Tobin
Located at street level of the parking garage, featuring upscale dining and handcrafted cocktails.Concessions
Available throughout the venue with snacks, cocktails, beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages.Skip the Line with Noble
Pre-order drinks from your phone and pick up at the bar or have them delivered to your box seats. -
Posting about the show? We’d love to see it!
Tag @balletsa and @tobincentersa for a chance to be featured. -
To ensure a safe environment, the following items are not permitted:
Weapons of any kind (firearms, knives, tasers, mace, etc.)
Vapes or vape pens
Professional cameras or recording equipment
Laser pointers, glow sticks, flashlights
Backpacks
Large bags (over 12” x 12” x 12”)
Illicit substances
Outside food or beverages
Posters or signs
Any items deemed dangerous by management
The Tobin Center requires a search of all patrons upon entering the venue. All patrons must have a ticket to enter the venue. Patrons who choose not to adhere to the guidelines will be removed from the venue without a refund.
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Location: Inside the main entrance
Phone: (210) 223-8624
Email: tickets@tobincenter.orgHours:
Monday–Friday: 10 AM – 6 PM
Saturday: 10 AM – 2 PM
Performance days: Open 2 hours prior to showtime
Services include ticket purchases, reprints, will call, and event assistance.
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For additional questions, please contact the Tobin Center Box Office at (210) 223-8624.
FAQ
Page Credits
VIDEOGRAPHERS
Emilie Geib and Sofia Marquez
ARTIST IN VIDEO
Soloist Elaine Blank
PHOTOGRAPHER (excluding choreographer and conductor headshots)
Molly Johnson Photo
ARTISTS IN PHOTOS
Principal Will Robichaud
Soloists Logan Acker, Elaine Blank, Alexandra Carey, Alexa Horwath
Corps de Ballet Haley Blackwelder, Emily Johnson, Isabella Long, Mikaela Stewart