Choreographer Austin McCormick’s dance troupe Company XIV has been performing a sumptuous, risqué rendition of “The Nutcracker” since 2010, first in its original home in Gowanus, and then at venues around the city after Hurricane Sandy destroyed the theater. Called “Nutcracker Rouge,” it draws from Duke Ellington’s sexier suite, as well as pieces from the original by Tchaikovsky, and follows Marie-Claire as she travels through the Kingdom of the Sweets, personified by hot cherry girls and licorice boys in assless leather briefs, to meet her Nutcracker Prince. I haven’t seen the performance since McCormick opened up his brand-new theater in Bushwick, Théâtre XIV, last fall, and I can only imagine that the show has become even more opulent and impressive with time. Performances run Thursdays through Sundays through January 13, and tickets start at $65. You’ll be within walking distance of the brand-new Mission Chinese, and Brooklyn Cider House, so treat yourself and make a festive, holiday night out of it. Or go on a Saturday and explore the neighborhood beforehand with our guide to Bushwick.
