‘Nutcracker’ at Center to Be From S.F. : Ballet: The company’s production will replace the ABT premiere that was canceled because of shaky finances.

The San Francisco Ballet will dance the “Nutcracker” Nov. 29 to Dec. 8 at the Orange County Performing Arts Center, filling the hole left by the recent cancellation of American Ballet Theatre’s new “Nutcracker” production scheduled for the same period.

“The fact that this highly regarded company . . . was able to make itself available to us on our previously announced dates is, quite frankly, a bit of a miracle,” Center president Thomas R. Kendrick said in a prepared statement issued Monday.

Created in 1983, the San Francisco Ballet “Nutcracker” incorporates Lew Christensen’s 1967 choreography and later choreography by Willam Christensen and SFB artistic director Helgi Tomasson. Sets and costumes are by Jose Varona. The San Francisco Ballet last danced at the Center in 1989.

ABT’s production, to have been staged by Canadian choreographer Brian MacDonald, has been postponed for a year because of shaky finances, the New York-based company announced last week.

“Neither (ABT) nor we know at this time the tour arrangements they will have for the ‘Nutcracker,’ ” Kendrick said Monday. “We do have open dates in the time frame preceding the (1992) Christmas period, and if they move to confirm (their plans) in the near term, we would certainly work with them to have it here. But the premiere is up in the air, too.”

The “Nutcracker” cancellation does not affect ABT’s one-week stint at the Center in February, a company spokesman said.

Center season ticket subscribers may use their tickets for the SFB “Nutcracker” or ask for a refund, according to a Center spokesman. Individual tickets will go on sale Oct. 13. Casting will be announced. Information: (714) 556-2121.

The Joffrey Ballet will present its “Nutcracker” at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles on Dec. 18-29.