After more than a year of virtual performances, State Street Ballet is primed for a full season back on the stage and for live audiences. State Street Ballet’s 27th Season features audience favorites and world premiere collaborations. The group of artists returns under the artistic direction of Rodney Gustafson and William Soleau.

The season kicks off with “Kismet” for a one-weekend, three-performance run at The Granada Theatre Oct. 23-24. The Tony Award-winning musical includes an international  cast. The Santa Barbara Symphony and State Street Ballet, all under the direction of New York’s Lonny Price, in a theatrical experience produced by philanthropist, businesswoman and arts advocate Sara Miller McCune.

“Of the many collaborations we have done over the years, nothing compares with the scope, diversity and glamour of this production of “Kismet,” said Gustafson, State Street Ballet’s executive artistic director. The collaborative energy will be magnificent.”

State Street Ballet’s season continues with two more productions at The Granada. Holiday favorite “The Nutcracker,” 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 18; and 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 19, features Opera San Luis Obispo Grand Orchestra, and Gustafson Dance students alongside the company’s professional dancers.

The spring 2022 performances of “Sleeping Beauty,” 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 5, and 2 p.m. Sunday, March 6, offer a modern take on a favorite fairytale in a full-length world premiere combining classical elements with intricately designed sets, visionary costumes, and virtuosic dancing.

The company also presents never-before-seen works created exclusively by State Street Ballet dancers for the 2022 Evenings series, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 21 and Saturday, Jan. 22, in the intimate setting of the in-studio theater at Gail Towbes Center for Dance.

The live performance season closes at the Lobero Theatre with A Quarter Century Celebration, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 30, a gala performance honoring the legacies of Léni Fé Bland and Michael Towbes, and the major contributions of Margo Cohen-Feinberg, Tim Mikel, Sara Miller McCune, and Carrie Towbes to the arts in Santa Barbara.

The event features choreographed works by William Soleau, Rodney Gustafson, Laurie Eisenhower, and Kassandra Taylor Newberry.

For more about State Street Ballet, visit statestreetballet.com for more information.