The International Ballet Theatre’s annual production of Russian Christmas classic “The Nutcracker” opens Friday at The Theatre at Meydenbauer Center.

The show runs two weekends and ends Monday, Dec. 23.

Though it is well known, the story of “The Nutcracker” follows a young girl, Clara, on Christmas Eve. She is enraptured by one of her gifts, a nutcracker soldier, and steals away at midnight to check on it. As the clock strikes midnight, the world magically enlarges; toys, mice and Clara’s beloved nutcracker become man-sized and come to life. A great battle ensues with the wicked Mouse King, and then Clara and the nutcracker Prince are transported to the Land of Sweets, ruled by the Sugar Plum Fairy.

The tale was originally told in E.T.A. Hoffman’s “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King,” and adapted into a libretto by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The ballet premiered in St. Petersburg in 1892.

The International Ballet Theatre’s production adds original choreography by Artistic Director Vera Altunina of St. Petersburg. Sets and costumes were imported from Russia.

“It is a fantastic performance for the entire family,” theater media director Yaroslav Altunina said. “A classical spectacle based on traditional choreography, inspiring all those magical emotions we’ve all felt when we were young.”

Tickets and showtimes for The Nutcracker can be found at the International Ballet Theatre’s website and Brown Paper Tickets.

The Meydenbauer Center Theatre is located at 11100 NE 6th St. in Bellevue.