The Hard Nut

Unquestionably a classic in its own right, the Mark Morris Dance Group’s boisterous reimagining of Tchaikovsky’s beloved The Nutcracker—a sly retro-modern treatment based on E.T.A. Hoffmann’s original story and the comic book art of Charles Burns—comes home to BAM for the holidays. A cascade of wit and wintry beauty featuring Morris’ lyrical modern dance choreography, this lavish, gender-bent love letter to a canonical ballet transplants the story from the strait-laced 1890s to the swinging 70s, with raucous parties, dancing G.I. Joes, whimsical costumes, and a “Waltz of the Snowflakes” like no other. Tchaikovsky’s complete score, performed live by the MMDG Music Ensemble, drives this colorful retelling, which playfully preserves the warm spirit of an essential holiday tradition.