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The Nutcracker is one of the most notable holiday staples in all of ballet. Through its angelic symphony, classic choreography, and its magical touch of the Christmas spirit, the Nutcracker is a show you won’t want to miss during the winter season. 

But it’s not merely a Christmas tradition, it's a crucial aspect of the Seattle community. At the Vashon Center for the Arts, the performance was built on the extensive efforts from community members, truly supplying the foundations of the magical wonderland that makes the Nutcracker so special to so many families around the Seattle area. This beloved holiday tradition, due to its magical Christmas setting, its role in popularizing German nutcracker toys, and its function as a family tradition introducing generations to ballet and classical music, is regarded as a cultural fixture in the holiday season. It is beautiful and heartwarming to see parents who once attended the ballet as children now bringing their own, demonstrating just how vital this cultural cornerstone is to Seattle families.

Stepping into Benaroya Hall, home of the Seattle Symphony, at Christmastime has its own kind of magic. The warm glow of the lights, the hum of conversation, and everyone dressed in red and green create the sense that you’re about to witness something special. But instead of a traditional symphony performance, this particular night promised something different: a unique, immersive live-to-film concert accompanying The Muppet Christmas Carol. This 1992 film is a retelling of the classic Dickens holiday tale about miserable old Ebenezer Scrooge (Michael Caine), who is visited by three spirits on Christmas Eve—the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future—which causes him to see the error of his selfish ways and embrace the true meaning of Christmas with love and generosity. The film features beloved Muppet characters like Kermit the Frog as Bob Cratchit, Miss Piggy as Emily Cratchit, and Gonzo as narrator Charles Dickens, balancing the dark Victorian tale with humor and charm, making it endlessly re-watchable for kids and adults alike. 

As we took our seats in the middle of the main floor, the anticipation was palpable. It was such a special feeling to be surrounded by different people who were all connected by their love for this film, and it hadn’t even started yet. Finally, the lights began to dim, and the conductor, Thiago Tiberio, walked onstage. Tiberio specializes in live-to-film synchronization concerts all over the world and is widely praised for his advanced technique and musicianship. If I didn’t already feel confident that we were in for something special, I certainly did then.

Warning: this review contains light spoilers.

Is a story about 9/11 still meaningful to people who weren’t alive when it happened?

No one wants to work for a sleazy boss and have to argue for equal pay, but if I ever do, I'd want the smart, funny women in 9 to 5 as my colleagues. The Village Theatre’s production of 9 to 5 is a comedic, women-led effort to take on workplace inequality. Well known as a film, the musical features a book by Patricia Resnick, with music and lyrics by renowned country singer Dolly Parton. Although the story was first written in 1980, it still resonates today.

Set in 1979, 9 to 5 follows three secretaries—Violet, Doralee, and Judy—as they sing and dance their way through revenge against their sexist, egotistical boss, challenging the cultural norms that limit their professional opportunities. Initially, their workplace life at Consolidated Industries is bleak. For women, there is no hope for a raise or promotion and no sense of camaraderie. But when Violet, Doralee, and Judy realize they have a common enemy in their boss, they unite to improve the workplace.

What could be more perfect to kick off the holiday season than the nostalgic tale of Cinderella at the Wade James Theater? The Edmonds Driftwood Players delivers a delightful performance of the Broadway version of Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Cinderella, emphasizing the importance of generosity and coming together despite differences to make a better world. There’s no wrong place or time of year for these messages, but they really resonated at a little community theater around the holidays. The lobby was elaborately decorated with wintery themes, pictures of the cast, and a Cinderella photoshoot. All of the ushers, and many of the younger audience members, were wearing tiaras, showing the production team’s excitement to be putting on this musical.

This more contemporary rendering keeps the classic tale of Cinderella while introducing dragon-slaying, the creation of a representative government, the power of kindness over ridicule, and an array of energetic, catchy songs. In this version, Cinderella meets Prince Topher for the first time after he gets back from a mission to kill a dragon that has been terrorizing the kingdom. Topher, under his advisor Sebastian’s influence, decides to host a ball to find a bride. Meanwhile, a revolutionary named Jean-Michael attempts to convince the citizens that they need reform because the people’s land was unjustly taken, but his message is diminished by the announcement of the prince throwing a ball to find his new bride. Cinderella longs to go to this ball, but her stepmother refuses to let her go, similar to the classic Cinderella story. After they leave, Cinderella comes across Crazy Marie, a vagrant woman who Cinderella has always been kind to. Crazy Marie turns out to be a fairy godmother and she helps get Cinderella to the ball. Once there, in addition to falling in love with the prince, Cinderella begins to tell him about the wrongdoings occurring in the kingdom that he hadn’t noticed, leading to reform and a happy ending all around. These twists on the classic tale offer just a little more magic to make all of Cinderella’s fresh and relatable dreams come true.Tamara C. Ford (Madame), Lydia Salita (Charlotte), Jessica Hamilton (Gabrielle), Miki Murray (Ella). Photo by Dale Sutton.

As I made my way across the Museum of Flight aircraft pavilion, I couldn't help but be awestruck by the vibrant, kaleidoscopic plane standing among the Boeing 727, fighter jets, and various other aircrafts. In front of me was an MiG-21—but not the typical supersonic jet you would expect to see. This one was covered in intricate, colorful beadwork with a story behind it that transcends the mere history of the plane. The jet shimmered as if lit from within, its surface catching every stray beam of light and casting it into something soft and captivating. Its unique form of art repurposes violence into representations of peace by drawing from recurring icons of history and militarization, and through this process, his art becomes both a confrontation with collective memory and a call for cultural healing.

On show now through January 26, 2026, the MiG-21 Project is the culmination of South African artist Ralf Ziman’s 3-part series called Weapons of Mass Production. To understand how a fighter jet can become a monumental beadwork sculpture, we have to understand the evolution of the trilogy itself: first came the AK-47 project and then the Casspir project. Ziman grew up in South Africa during the dark days of Apartheid, a period marked by state-enforced racial divide and an increased militarized police force. His work emerges from witnessing the government's use of violence as means to control, exploit, and separate communities.Photo courtesy of The Museum of Flight.

The first time I heard Fleetwood Mac, I must have been seven years old. I wasn’t expecting to connect with music that had been made, in my eyes, so long ago. Yet, when I heard Fleetwood Mac’s music - songs like "Landslide", "Dreams", and my absolute favorite, "Everywhere" - effortlessly made their way into my playlists. I’m not alone, many other young listeners have been drawn to Fleetwood; but why? 

It is likely Fleetwood Mac still resonates with audiences today because their music has familiar themes of love and resilience which are timeless, and universal. Adding to their appeal is Fleetwood Mac’s modernity in sound. Their clean production and poignant harmonies have come to be one of the trademarks of their style. Alongside this, is Fleetwood Mac’s introspective lyricism, a style that has since become a popular approach to songwriting. 

As I stood in Priscilla Dobler Dzul’s exhibition “Water Carries the Stories of Our Stars” at the Frye Art Museum, a memory rose to my mind: “I don’t want to do this anymore. I’m going to watch TV instead,” I said as I abandoned my cloth napkin, with a few threads poorly placed in an effort to form a flower. Sitting beside me, my grandmother only laughed as she adjusted her needle and re-pierced the delicate fabric, decorating her napkin with strands of vibrant blue and neon pink. With no thimble, her calloused hands worked for hours to create the intricately designed napkins, which would hold the fresh tortillas we ate with every meal. Bright flower bouquets and groups of butterflies adorned her napkin by the end, while I was never able to finish a single napkin. Embroidery is one of many fading practices that have fallen victim to the passage of time–something that Dobler Dzul uses art to actively fight against.Priscilla Dobler Dzul. The guardians remind us of what we have forgotten, 2025. Oregon red clay with grog. Dimensions variable. Courtesy of the artist. Photo: Jueqian Fang

In “Water Carries the Stories of Our Stars”, Dobler Dzul presents the viewer with stunning multi-media pieces that bridge the gap between time, nature, and humans, all while telling the story of water loss and environmental injustice that has persisted for generations. Dobler Dzul is an artist from Yucatan, Mexico, and Tacoma, Washington, who uses passed-down techniques to create art that shares her experiences and struggles as a cultural activist. Retaining cultural knowledge is difficult for those who are multicultural, as they are commonly left feeling as if they are “neither from here nor from there”. However, Dobler Dzul manages to maintain a deep connection to her Maya roots. Concentrating on the exploitation of living waters, Dobler Dzul’s art educates the viewer on the abuse faced by both the Maya people and land, while calling attention to the environmental discrimination and ecological crises occurring in both Yucatan and Tacoma. Her work is not limited to a place or style, as she presents the viewer with pieces made from various art mediums, including handblown glass vessels, ceramic sculptures, fiber art, and backstrap weaving, all executed in a way that honors traditional Maya culture. 

Stepping into the Bellevue Botanical Garden in the fall, visitors are instantly met with a burst of vibrant colors. Orange, yellow, and red leaves are scattered across the landscaped gravel path. Further down that path, a variety of breathtaking flowers spread throughout the garden, which consists of several smaller, distinct gardens that showcase different types of flowers and plants. Among the beauty, The Lost Bird Project exhibit blends art, nature, and environmental awareness, creating a powerful and reflective experience that honors extinct North American birds.

Winding along the brightly colored garden path, visitors come upon a clearing with five black bronze bird statues, each four to six feet tall, arranged in a semicircle along the edge of the space. The stark contrast of the gigantic black birds against the lush greenery is powerful, due to the simplicity of their forms, their size, and their blackness, which contrasts with the rest of the garden. These larger-than-life statues rest upon a patch of bright green grass surrounded by enchanting flowers and a colorful backdrop of trees and bushes. Within the exhibit, birds chirp and hop around in the nearby foliage, as if enjoying the company of the sculptures.

A gasp, deep and shaky, filled the silent room. Again, a rasp of a sharp inhale into the microphone. Over the next hour, these grasping breaths served as the only indication of time passing within the walls of the Rainier Arts Center in Southeast Seattle. 

Award-winning poet Li-Young Lee was reading his work. But more than that, he was searching, searching for a sound his mother made when he was nine years old. Searching, as we all are, for the meaning of memory, death, and love.

Berberio Bash, a centennial tribute celebrating the birthdays of Italian composer Luciano Berio and vocalist Cathy Berberian, hosted by the Seattle Chamber Orchestra (SCO), transcended all my expectations of chamber music. The concert took place at the Good Shepard’s Center in a small, intimate, chapel-like setting, which allowed everyone in the audience to get a close view of the ensemble’s intentional movements and expressions as they carefully performed the music. 

Luciano Berio and Cathy Berberian were an artistic duo who redefined what it meant to compose and perform music in the 20th century. Berio, one of Italy's most influential avant-garde composers, was particularly known for his experimental approach to music and sound. His ability to weave together fragments of musical history - ranging from folk songs, classicals, operas, and many more - to create a coherent piece of music was astounding. Berberian, his muse and collaborator, was also known for her voice, which was breathtaking in the sense that it could evoke emotions of laughter, whispers, and shock with her audience. Together, Berberian and Berio blurred the boundaries between the composer and the performer, inspiring musicians today. It's no surprise that the SCO chose to pay tribute to them in memory of their centennial, as both artists embodied the spirit of innovation that drives the force behind chamber music.

On October 4, 2025, Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena was packed full of fans of the jazz-pop singer Laufey. Many fans dressed up in long white skirts, bows, and home-made crowns, making the lines perfect for people-watching. 

Laufey showed how much she valued her fans through amazing outfits, a talented live band, and four different acts followed by an energetic encore. Her performance created a warm and personal atmosphere, which encapsulated her intimate musical style perfectly, most of her songs being about yearning and storytelling. 

Farm to Table: Art, Food, and Identity in the Age of Impressionism at the Seattle Art Museum is a visual feast that highlights the importance of food during a period of evolving national values in France. I was drawn to Farm to Table by my love of farmers markets, French culture, and Impressionism.  As an editor for the TeenTix Newsroom, I was lucky enough to attend the press preview, which turned out to be a perfect mix of my interests: half art lesson and half history lesson. The exhibit of more than 50 Impressionist paintings and sculptures by artists such as Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Paul Gauguin, and Eva Gonzalès shows how food became a defining symbol of French history, identity, and pride following the Franco-Prussian War in 1870. I was fascinated by this inextricable link between food and culture, which feels just as relevant today as it was in 19th-century France.

On show now through January 18, 2026, Farm to Table is a traveling exhibit organized by The American Federation of Arts and The Chrysler Museum of Art. It has been adapted for presentation at SAM by curator Theresa Papanikolas, who led the press preview along with co-curators Lloyd DeWitt and Andrew Eschelbacher. Filled with details about French history, the tour helped me fully grasp the meaning behind each painting. Papanikolas started by explaining how Charles-Émile Jacque’s The Shepard and His Flock serves as a nostalgic depiction of farming before industrialization—a theme repeated throughout the exhibit. Meanwhile, DeWitt and Eschelbacher highlighted different connections like the link between French writer Émile Zola’s novel The Belly of Paris and Victor Gabriel Gilbert’s The Square in Front of Les Halles, which depicts the famous food markets Zola wrote about. After the tour, I had the opportunity to talk one-on-one with the exhibit curators, who thoughtfully answered all my questions about Impressionism. As DeWitt pointed out the subtle details and beautifully captured light in Étienne Prosper Berne-Bellecour’s The Remains of the Meal, I found myself sharing his enthusiasm. The beauty of the exhibit’s paintings can only be fully appreciated in person. The Gleaners, 1887, Léon Augustin Lhermitte, French, 1844-1925, oil on canvas, 29 1/2 x 37 3/4 in., Philadelphia Museum of Art, The George W. Elkins Collections, 1924, E1974.4.19, Courtesy of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and American Federation of Arts.

As I made my way to my seat in the ever-crowded McCaw Hall theater, I couldn’t help but pay attention to the audience around me. Surrounded by opera-goers in pirate garb, I was immediately immersed in the lively atmosphere—I was clearly not the only one enthusiastic about seeing The Pirates of Penzance. With the show’s 146-year history and countless adaptations, it was obvious that the opera, telling the tale of a young pirate and the daughter of a major general falling in love, has captivated the hearts of many. As the story unfolds, Frederic, a sincere young man who accidentally became an apprentice to a group of pirates, yearns to escape his criminal lifestyle and marry Mabel, the quirky young daughter of the major general. But when a loophole in his contract ruins his chance to break free, Frederic is forced to choose between loyalty and love.

After the crowd settled down, the dynamic, majestic orchestra conducted by David Charles Abell began to play the overture. While I was admiring the orchestra, the curtain whisked open to reveal an incredibly spirited crew of pirates, complete with a large boat which swiftly sailed into place. Led by the Pirate King (Reginald Smith Jr.), the pirates were dressed head-to-toe in clashing yet appealing patterns and were extremely well costumed thanks to costumer James Schuette. The patterns enhanced the swashbuckling and rambunctious nature of each pirate. While the pirates sang about young pirate Frederic’s (David Portillo) birthday, they danced around the stage, riddled with unique props that added to the comedy and characterization of each pirate in the chorus. Some pirates held books, some held teddy bears, and most had an arsenal of weapons, all of which helped me visualize who these pirates truly were.David Portillo (Frederic) and Vanessa Becerra (Mabel) in "The Pirates of Penzance" at Seattle Opera. © David Jaewon Oh.

Soft rain echoed through the audience, the noise coming from the stage. On October 12, at 7:30 PM, the empty stage at Leo K. Theater was complete with a ballet barre, window, and glowing exit sign above a door with light streaming through it. It was cozy, if a bit lonely. The theater was set up as a dance studio, but when the performance began, it became clear that the story extended far beyond the aspects of dance. Instead, the world premiere of the play Fancy Dancer feels uniquely like a conversation with a friend, saying, “You are not alone.”

Seattle Rep and Seattle Children’s Theater have collaborated to introduce this autobiographical play, written by Larissa FastHorse and directed by Chay Yew, to a variety of ages. FastHorse and actress Burgandi Trejo Phoenix alternate performances, playing the show’s single role of Lara. Lara grew up in a small town in South Dakota off the Lakota reservation with her adoptive parents. Half Lakota and half white, she spent many of her formative years feeling like she was too much or not enough of both sides of her heritage. This discontent with her identity was mirrored in her body. She struggled with tibial torsion, which made it difficult for her to rotate her legs outward, also known as turnout. Because of this, she was deemed unworthy of dance opportunities again and again, from her second-grade ballet class to her eventual college one. Still, she persevered with her dream and set herself on following the footsteps of Maria Tallchief, a famous prima ballerina, who was also half-Indigenous. This link between identity, emotions, and dance is the core of the production.Larissa FastHorse in Fancy Dancer (2025) at Seattle Rep. Photo by Sayed Alamy.

The Roommate at ArtsWest is a beautiful play that will make you laugh, cry, and consider the question, how much can a true friendship change you? Written by Jen Silverman and originally debuting at the Actors Theatre of Louisville in 2015, The Roommate follows two middle-aged women, Sharon and Robyn, and the budding friendship that starts when they become roommates. The two women are as opposite as can be. Sharon is a recently divorced, lonely homebody from a small town, while Robyn is free-spirited, from the Bronx, and in search of a new life. This dynamic leads to an emotionally captivating, comedy-rich play that will keep you both on the edge of your seat and contemplating its themes for weeks.

ArtsWest is a perfect venue for this show. It’s a small Black Box theater. No elevated stage. The actresses are only a few feet away from the front row. The only thing separating the stage from the audience are the small vinyl mats that mark the edges of the set. The set, designed by Devin Petersen, is a small kitchen decorated like a typical house from a Disney Channel sitcom. There are a few plants in the window nook above the sink; a small round table you can imagine a family breakfast around; and a fridge with colorful magnets holding up a few pictures of a young boy who no longer lives there. From the beginning to the end of the play, the set only changes as Robyn’s belongings supplant Sharon’s space. Her plants, weed, and boxes upon boxes don’t drastically change the set, but they make it clear that this isn’t just Sharon’s home anymore. It becomes less a stereotypical family home and more Sharon and Robyn’s home, a mix of Sharon’s more traditional values and Robyn’s careless and sometimes cluttered lifestyle. As we watch this change in the set, we also experience the women beginning to connect. They become entwined in each other's lives just as their things intertwine in their new home. Sharon’s house only becomes their home when Robyn and Sharon start to find home in each other. The Roommate is advertised as a dark comedy, so I expected something much less emotional than what I came away with: a bittersweet story about two completely opposite women finding love for each other and changing each other’s lives for the better.Mari Nelson and Sarah Harlett in The Roommate at ArtsWest. Photo by John McLellan.

The red curtain sparkled with tiny bedazzled gems, shining like tiny stars, as it opened to reveal long green tutus which sparkled in front of the audience who stared in awe even before the dancers began to move. A little while before entering the theater, I overheard an elderly woman talking about how she thought that the world needed more pure beauty in it; something uncomplicated and idealistically happy. In a world so obsessed with finding meaning in every little thing that it is killing us, maybe what we need is just to see something beautiful for the sake of it being beautiful. After seeing the Pacific Northwest Ballet’s production of Jewels, I understood what she said. A lot of people need to connect to seeing joy in art, and this is part of what makes Jewels such an excellent ballet for both new and returning audiences to the PNB.

George Balanchine’s Jewels is a rare gem of a plotless ballet. One should not discount it on account of its lack of a plot, however. Its focus is on the diversity of beauty and how, even in a specific art form like ballet, there can be many ways to express emotion and beauty. The entire ballet is split into three acts that work as smaller ballets: Emeralds, Rubies, and Diamonds. Each ballet has a main color scheme associated with it incorporated in the costumes and background: dazzling green for Emeralds, a roaring red for the unapologetic joy of Rubies, and a classy white with light undertones of several other colors, like pink for Diamonds.

Exotic Deadly: One Strange History Lessonby Clara Thorsen

Exotic Deadly: Or the MSG Play is an absurd comedy, coming-of-age drama, and historical lesson packed into just under two hours. Exotic Deadly made its Northwest debut at Theatre Off Jackson, a cozy venue nestled in the Chinatown-International District. The play follows an Asian-American high school student, Ami (Karis Ho), whose world comes crashing down after discovering her family invented the flavor enhancer MSG.

From September to June, teen writers in Seattle attend and review an array of art events; spanning from comedy to classical ballet and everything in between. They work with Teen Editors to polish, and publish their reviews for the TeenTix blog. The TeenTix Newsroom empowers teen writers to interact with art in a meaningful way, and compensates them for their contribution to the arts. Here’s everything you need to know about the TeenTix Newsroom, plus some advice from last year’s Newsroom members.

How do you know if the TeenTix Newsroom is right for you? 

A young Monika used to believe that life awaited us at the end of the tunnel, a twist on the common phrase which, to her, meant perseverance through hard times would be rewarded with a better life. Yesterday, Monika graduated from high school and she has changed. She thinks that it would be better to find another life, being another person might be better than grasping at the light or life at the end of the tunnel.

This change in Monika's perspective has been built up on the losses she has experienced during her lifetime. Monika feels unable to move towards her future, unlike her best friend Thea; who is headed to Columbia College in the fall. Monika can’t help but compare herself to her friend, which causes a rift in their relationship. For Monika, Thea is a reminder of a life she is missing out on. This year Monika lost Shun, a classmate who didn’t make it to graduation. When it seems as though nothing else can mend her wounds, Monika turns to legend, her last hope of bringing him back. A tunnel, said to test anyone who wants to resurrect a dead soul. The tests within the tunnel, bring a whirlwind of  memories best not remembered and unspeakable secrets. Its name, accurately given, is the Yomigaeri Tunnel, "yomigaeri" being the Japanese word for resurrection.