Immersive Spotlight: Nutcracker Rouge in Bushwick
It’s the final curtain call. Company XIV’s Nutcracker Rouge ends its 2025-2026 season on January 31, 2026. Located at their bespoke venue, Théâtre XIV in Bushwick, this production is the antithesis of the stuffy ballet you saw as a child.
The Experience
Nutcracker Rouge is a fusion of high-fashion burlesque, circus acrobatics, and opera. The story of the Nutcracker is retold through a hedonistic lens, featuring partial nudity, incredible costumes, and a soundtrack that mixes Tchaikovsky with pop anthems. Guests are seated in a lush, velvet-draped salon and can order absinthe cocktails and champagne directly to their seats.
Why Go Now?
This is a seasonal show that won’t return until late 2026. The January performances are often the best—the holiday tourists have left, and the crowd is full of local New Yorkers looking for a sultry escape from the cold.
Back to the master list: The Essential NYC Event Calendar: Brooklyn January 2026.
