An afternoon of performance, philanthropy, and seasonal pageantry will usher in Nashville’s Nutcracker season at Belmont University’s Fisher Center.

By the time the holidays arrive in Nashville, Nashville’s Nutcracker has already begun to occupy a special place in the city’s cultural imagination. But before the curtain rises at Tennessee Performing Arts Center, Nashville Ballet will invite families into the story early with the return of its beloved Nutcracker Tea.

Scheduled for Sunday, November 22nd, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at Belmont University’s Fisher Center for the Performing Arts, the annual event blends performance, hospitality, and holiday fantasy into one of Middle Tennessee’s most treasured seasonal gatherings.

Part matinee, part tea party, and part rite of passage, Nutcracker Tea is designed especially for young audiences while retaining the elegance and nostalgia that make the tradition appealing across generations. On this afternoon, The Fisher Center becomes a portal into Clara’s world: a place where guests may encounter the Sugar Plum Fairy, the Mouse King, and the Nutcracker Prince before the full production opens later that week.

This year’s celebration will be co-chaired by Ann Ralls Brown, Whitney Kalb, and Alexandra Schneider, three Nashville community leaders whose civic and philanthropic work reflects the event’s broader spirit: festive, family-centered, and deeply connected to the city’s arts ecosystem.

At the heart of the gathering is an interactive, abbreviated performance inspired by Paul Vasterling’s Emmy Award-winning Nashville’s Nutcracker, which returns to TPAC’s Jackson Hall from November 27 through December 27, 2026. Through music, dance, and close-up character encounters, the tea offers children an intimate first step into ballet’s storytelling power.

The afternoon’s pleasures extend beyond the stage. Guests can enjoy festive treats, holiday crafts, whimsical activities, drinks and small bites for adults, and professional holiday-themed photography—keepsakes that turn the event from a performance outing into a family memory.

Yet Nutcracker Tea is more than seasonal charm. Proceeds benefit the School of Nashville Ballet Scholarship Fund, which provides more than $250,000 annually in merit- and need-based scholarships. The fund helps open the studio door to students of many ages, backgrounds, and abilities, reinforcing the idea that the arts flourish most when access is widened.

“Nutcracker Tea has become one of our most treasured holiday traditions because it brings families together to experience the joy, imagination and wonder of ballet in a truly personal way,” said Nick Mullikin, Artistic Director and CEO of Nashville Ballet.

For Brown, the event also carries a personal resonance. A partner at Stites & Harbison PLLC and a longtime supporter of Nashville Ballet, she has seen how the company’s programs can spark wonder in young children. Alongside her husband, Jerrod, and their three children, she remains active in local civic life, including West End United Methodist Church, the Harpeth Hall Alumnae Fund, and the Equal Justice Campaign benefiting the Legal Aid Society.

Kalb, a partner and general counsel at FCA Venture Partners, brings a similar commitment to education, the arts, and community service. Her past board service with The Pencil Foundation and The Porch Writers’ Collective, along with her current role as president of the Ensworth Alumni Board, underscores the civic thread that runs through the event.

Schneider, a Nashville native and director of marketing and research at Robert H. Burns Company, Inc., rounds out the chair trio. Her volunteer work with Chukkers for Charity, The Antiques and Garden Show Bourbon Party, and St. George’s Kindergarten’s annual fundraiser reflects the intergenerational community engagement that Nutcracker Tea celebrates.

Nashville’s Nutcracker Returns to TPAC

The tea serves as a festive prelude to the full production of Nashville’s Nutcracker, which returns to TPAC’s Jackson Hall November 27 through December 27, 2026. Featuring Nashville Ballet’s professional company artists, NB2, students from the School of Nashville Ballet, and community performers, the production pairs Tchaikovsky’s iconic score with a distinctly Nashville sense of place.

Single tickets begin at $48 as part of Nashville Ballet’s Christmas in July celebration, giving families an early opportunity to secure seats before the holiday rush.

Beyond the stage, young dancers ages 13 and older who are part of Nashville Ballet or a community partner program may audition for the Youth Cast on August 23 and 30, offering the chance to perform alongside the professional company at TPAC.

Nashville Ballet also invites supporters to take part in its Holiday Magic initiative, which provides thousands of complimentary tickets each year to underserved children, families, veterans, and seniors—an effort that extends the production’s seasonal warmth well beyond the theater.

Event details: Nutcracker Tea will take place Sunday, November 22, 2026, from 3 to 5 p.m. at Belmont University’s Fisher Center for the Performing Arts. Nashville’s Nutcracker runs November 27 through December 27, 2026, at TPAC’s Jackson Hall.

For tickets, audition details, donation information, and season packages, visit NashvilleBallet.com or contact the ballet box office at 615-297-2966 ext. 710.