Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre Reveals Costumes for New Nutcracker

DESIGNS AND ILLUSTRATIONS BY SUSAN ROEMER

Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre has been hard at work preparing for next year’s new Nutcracker debut; now, the organization is officially sharing details about the production’s costume design.

Susan Roemer, founder of S-Curve Apparel & Design, is creating the costumes and scenic elements for the new production, PBT says in a press release. Roemer is a former professional dancer and recipient of an Isadora Duncan Award for Visual Design. Her costume designs for The Nutcracker reflect the 1906 and 1956 time periods of the Pittsburgh-based story; each costume helps bring The Nutcracker characters and their magical settings to life in vivid colors, texture

s and rich details. 

PBT also says the all-new version of the Nutcracker will feature more than 74 original character costumes, 192 costumes on stage for each performance and more than 150 hats, headpieces and accessories.

“I am delighted to share Susan’s beautiful and creative costume sketches for our all-new production of the Nutcracker,” Adam W. McKinney, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre artistic director, says in a statement. “Each design brings personality and story to each character and adds to the magic of our exciting new version of The Nutcracker.”

Below is a gallery of renderings depicting what the costumes will look like.

PBT’s new version of The Nutcracker, conceived by Adam W. McKinney and Trey McIntyre and choreographed by McIntyre, is slated to premiere in December 2027. PBT officials call the ballet “a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Pittsburgh audiences to experience an updated adaptation of this cherished holiday tradition.”

The updated version will succeed PBT’s current production of Terrence S. Orr’s The Nutcracker, which will end its 24-year run in December 2026. 

The new Nutcracker production is made possible in part by a $1 million grant PBT received from the Mellon Foundation.