THE NUTCRACKER: NOW WITH 69% MORE CRACK

Because sometimes holiday spirit comes in fishnets and a martini glass

While The Nutcracker graces stages worldwide, Brooklyn’s Company XIV continues to reinvent tradition with its famous Nutcracker Rouge, New York’s most sumptuous and indulgent winter holiday treat, at Théâtre XIV in Bushwick’s Graffiti Alley. Combining dance, music, acrobatic feats, cabaret seduction, and a riot of sensory thrills, Nutcracker Rouge is re-imagined each year, and this season celebrates yet another revival.

With her formidable voice, Pepper Solana opens the tale by singing “Sweet Dreams” in a way so compelling that even Annie Lennox would have given her a standing ovation. And just like that, the show is underway, though the structure of the traditional Nutcracker is almost unrecognizable in this anarchic reinterpretation. Fear not: Company XIV knows exactly how to trade sugarplum sweetness for absinthe-laced decadence, capturing the crowd instantly while still preserving the holiday spirit.

Master of Mischief Adam Tabellija leads us through the story with an impeccable sense of timing and temptation, blending cabaret confidence with a naughty vaudeville edge. Singer Lindsay Rose brings a soulful presence, smoky, intimate, and tender; together with Solana, they are the yin and yang of Rouge’s musical seduction. The trio carries the production’s vocal narrative, while the remaining cast conveys emotions through pure physical expression.

Refined and well-versed dancers Clairisa S. Patton and Megumi “Meg” Iwama embody our heroine, Clara (here Marie-Claire), not as a wide-eyed child dreaming of toys, mice, and candies, but as a curious young woman awakening to sensuality and self-discovery. Aerialists Kyla Ranney, Kylie Rose, and Erin Dillon soar through the air, magnetic in motion and impossible to ignore. Glittering twins Nicholas and Ross Katen spin in stilettos, split in thongs, delivering comedic mayhem laced with balletic precision; every entrance they make is a dazzling reminder that camp and craft can coexist beautifully. Marcos Antonio and Joey Columbus, along with other members of the remarkable cast I may be overlooking, were equally marvelous.

Brian Tovar’s lighting cloaks the stage in dark, seductive tones; Zane Pihlström’s scenic and costume designs plunge us into the magic of the story and the neo-baroque character of its setting; Charlie August Kellogg’s audacious wigs and Sarah Cimino’s make-up push the extravagance to new heights; and the eclectic score by Julian Evans underscores the sensory overload of the production.

Austin McCormick, the visionary behind the company, acts as creator, producer, and director for all productions; I have seen three so far and they were all memorable. This version of Nutcracker Rouge is lush, juicy, and ever so slightly unhinged compared to the last one, but in the best possible way. Still opulent, intoxicating, and gloriously over-the-top in true Company XIV style, it remains the perfect gift for this cold, New York holiday season.

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photos by Mark Shelby Perry, Deneka Peniston, Paul Asphit and Chad Wagner

Nutcracker Rouge
Company XIV
Théâtre XIV, 383 Troutman Street in Bushwick, Brooklyn
ends on January 31, 2026
ages 21 and up only
for tickets, visit Company XIV
from $39 for standing room to $649 for a plush Champagne Couch for Two People