When Clara and her Prince leave the Christmas party on a Whidbey Island stage, where do they go? In most productions of "The Nutcracker," the second act takes them to the Land of Sweets. Whidbey Island Dance Theatre takes them under Puget Sound instead, where mermaids swim among glowing jellyfish, and then into the island's woodlands to meet the Faerie Queen and Forest King.
The company is bringing that version back to the Whidbey Island Center for the Arts in Langley for 11 performances, December 10 through 20. Opening night is four weeks from tonight. Plenty of things about the 2026 run differ from last December's: the dates, the curtain time, the ticket prices and who leads the company. The story and the island cast are what carry over.
A Second Act Set in Local Waters and Woods
The South Whidbey Record's preview of last year's production described the structure plainly. The first act keeps to tradition. The second sends the leads "through the hidden realms around Whidbey Island," first into "the dark depths of Puget Sound" and then into "the enchanted woodlands of the island," with faeries, pixies, sprites and forest creatures.
That press release, as the Record quoted it, also named firebirds, swallowtail butterflies, "a shiny and zippy flying dragon," playful elves and "an entire bouquet of beautiful flowers." Last year's photos showed a toy parrot that Drosselmeyer brings to life, and dancers in colorful gowns in the "Waltz of the Flowers." The 2025 staging also added new choreography and projected backdrops.
The setting returns this year. WICA's 2026 event page promises "mythical sea and woodland creatures" and the Faerie Queen and Forest King, on a Christmas Eve "when toys magically come to life." So a family that saw last year's show will recognize the underwater scene and the forest court.
A Cast That Comes From the Island
The underwater second act is the most obvious local touch. The casting is the deeper one. The Nutcracker is one of two major productions Whidbey Island Dance Theatre stages each year. The other is "A Celebration of Dance," its spring concert of new choreography. The core is the company itself, a pre-professional troupe. When the Whidbey News-Times covered this spring's concert, it counted 22 company dancers between the ages of 10 and 18, and it reported that dancers rehearse more than 20 hours a week alongside school. The 2026–27 company roster on WIDT's website lists 18 dancers.
Many of the performers are not company dancers at all. WIDT held community auditions on Sunday, September 20, 2026, open to ages 5 to 95 with no prior dance experience required. A company kickoff potluck followed on September 27, and rehearsals began October 3. The company's homepage now says auditions are complete, the cast has been chosen and rehearsals are underway. Last year that mix of company and community dancers added up to a cast of more than 70 performers.
The production has deep roots on the island. Whidbey Island Dance Theatre was founded in 1993 as Whidbey Dance Theatre. The national association Regional Dance America chose it as an RDA performing company from 2001 to 2012, and since 2014 it has belonged to the Ballet Alliance, a group of pre-professional companies. Its founder, Charlene Brown, served for many years as co-artistic director and production manager, directed more than 27 productions across "The Nutcracker," "The Snow Queen" and the company's spring concerts, and still choreographs for the show.
The leadership has changed since last December. The 2025 production was directed by Jamee Pitts and Mark Thrapp. WIDT's About page now lists Emma Patty-Caldwell as artistic director and Sidnie Flood as assistant artistic director. Patty-Caldwell came up through the organization. She started dancing at Island Dance at age seven and joined WIDT a few years later. She earned a BFA in dance performance and choreography from the Conservatory at the University of Missouri–Kansas City, and today she performs as a freelance dance artist around Seattle and teaches ballet, pointe, lyrical and modern at Island Dance. Flood has taught dance for more than 20 years and holds American Ballet Theatre National Curriculum certification for Pre-Primary through Level 3.
Eleven Performances Across Two Weekends
Every performance takes place on WICA's Mainstage.
| Date | Day | Curtain |
|---|---|---|
| December 10 | Thursday | 7 p.m. |
| December 11 | Friday | 7 p.m. |
| December 12 | Saturday | 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. |
| December 13 | Sunday | 2 p.m. |
| December 17 | Thursday | 7 p.m. |
| December 18 | Friday | 7 p.m. |
| December 19 | Saturday | 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. |
| December 20 | Sunday | 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. |
The two weekends are not identical. The first ends with a Sunday matinee only. The second ends with a Sunday evening show on December 20, so the run closes at night.
What Changed Since Last December
Compare the 2026 schedule with the Record's account of 2025 and four differences stand out:
- The run starts a day earlier. Last year's performances ran December 11 to 21. This year's run December 10 to 20, and the final show falls four days before Christmas Eve, a day earlier than last year.
- Evening curtains are half an hour earlier. In 2025, Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening shows began at 7:30 p.m. In 2026, every evening show starts at 7 p.m. Matinees stay at 2 p.m.
- The closing Sunday gets an evening show. Last year, Sundays had matinees only. On December 20, the 7 p.m. performance is the last of the run.
- Tickets cost more and sell through WICA. In 2025, the Record listed tickets at $38 for adults and $28 for seniors, military and children under 16, sold at widtonline.org. This year, WICA's ticketing system lists standard admission at $44, which includes a $2 service charge, and $30 for seniors, military and youth.
Choosing a Seat and a Show
Every date on the WICA event page has its own "Book Now" link that opens a seat map, so you can choose seats rather than take general admission. Last year's preview warned that "tickets sell out quickly."
The new times change the math for families. The earlier evening curtain helps on the weeknights, December 10, 11, 17 and 18, when the next day is a school or work day. The two Saturdays each offer a matinee and an evening show. For mixed groups, the $30 tier covers seniors, military and youth, which can lower the total for a household with a service member, grandparents or kids.
Out-of-town relatives will have options on both weekends. A group arriving the weekend before Christmas can choose among five shows from Friday, December 18, through Sunday, December 20, including the closing performance that Sunday night.
The dancers are already in the studio. Rehearsals began October 3, the company and community cast are set, and the forest court and the jellyfish of Puget Sound go back on the Mainstage in four weeks.
At Better Homes & Gardens McKenzie Realty, we love seeing neighbors and kids from across the island on the WICA stage each December, and we'll be cheering for the cast this year. If family is coming to Whidbey for the holidays and you'd like suggestions for making a Langley evening out of the show, or you're starting to think about a home closer to this kind of tradition, we're glad to help. Let Us Bring You Home.
