Charlotte Shields-Rossi | a&e editor

The rats wave Terrible Towels, the Snowflake Queen dances on the top of Mount Washington, and the Pittsburgh Pirate doll leaps around a 20th century Shadyside home.

For the past 23 years, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre has been entertaining audiences with their uniquely Pittsburgh version of the 1892 two-act classical ballet “The Nutcracker.”

“The Nutcracker” follows a young girl named Marie, who is given a nutcracker on Christmas Eve. She is awoken to a battle between rats and her nutcracker. After defeating the Rat King, her Nutcracker Prince takes her on a journey through a mystical world — the Land of Enchantment.

Laurie Rieger, public relations and media manager of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, said that there are 12 connections to Pittsburgh sprinkled throughout their show.

“Our nutcracker is very Pittsburgh-esque,” Rieger said. “People love finding all the Pittsburgh Easter eggs.”

With over 100 performers, 150 costumes, more than 30 magic tricks and 20 local celebrity appearances — including Mayor-elect Corey O’Conner and numerous “Dance Moms” celebrities — “The Nutcracker” is Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s biggest event of the year.

The two-hour-and-10-minute performance is set in the early 20th century at the Stahlbaum home in Pittsburgh’s Shadyside neighborhood. The Stahlbaums are hosting a holiday party. The adults indulge in conversation and champagne, while the children run around and play with their Christmas toys. Godfather Drosselmeyer, the conferrer of the nutcracker, has a strong stage presence in this act.

Drosselmeyer is a mysterious, magical and often comedic man. He performs magic tricks to entertain the guests, even making his nephew disappear. He can be seen doing dances like “Riding the Pony,” which gets a little chuckle out of the audience.

Lucius Kirst, who plays Drosselmeyer, said that in preparing to play that role he focused on learning the magic tricks and fleshing out his character’s personality.

“Once you have the tricks styled in, the only thing left is to work on how he comes across to the audience, which is a lovable and a little mischievous uncle,” Krist said.

Kirst is one of the dancers that performs as the Snow King. The “Waltz of the Snowflakes” is the end performance of Act 1. While Marie is sitting on a sleigh that glides around the stage, the snowflakes, composed of dozens of performers, dance gracefully on and off the stage, all while faux snowflakes fall from the ceiling.

“The snowflake [dancers] are moving faster and faster as the storm gets heavier,” Rieger said.

Hannah Carter dances as the Snow Queen in certain shows. Performing both big roles in Act 1 and Act 2, she said there is a significant difference between them.

“Act 1 is a bit more storytelling. It really sets the scene of the night. Act 2 is what we call divertissement. It’s a lot more stop and start. It’s like a showcase. One dance begins, it finishes, they bow, you clap and that happens five or six times,” Carter said.

Act 2 begins in the Land of Enchantment. The curtains open with dragonflies, butterflies and birds dancing around the stage — an homage to Pittsburgh’s own National Aviary. The stage is transformed into a carnival-style backdrop — honoring Pittsburgh’s Kennywood amusement park. There, Marie and the Nutcracker Prince watch dances from the spirits of Joy, Elegance, Jubilation, Exuberance, Delight and Harmony.

During the Elegance divertissement, the ballerinas show their strength with holds and lifts, male ballet dancers lift their female counterparts high above their head. During the Exuberance showcase, the dancers leap over one another’s shoulders in full splits. The Delight scene begins with dancers in glittery and colorful clown costumes emerging from a tiny clown car. One of the clowns is even on stilts.

After each spirit takes their turn in the spotlight, the Sugar Plum Fairy takes center stage in the “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” — one of those most recognizable songs in “The Nutcracker” musical score. After her time in the Land of Enchantment, Marie wakes in her bed wondering if it was all just a dream.

“It’s entertaining throughout its entirety,” Kirst said. “There are a bunch of different styles of dance in it, so you can get entertainment for everybody, there are fast big jumping ones and slower, more elegant, pieces.”

“The Nutcracker” will run until Dec. 28 at Benedum Center. For information on specific dates and ticket sales, visit Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s website.

Charlotte Shields-Rossi can be reached at shieldsrossic@duq.edu