Lake County kids among stars of Joffrey's 'Nutcracker'

Several local children will be appearing in The Joffrey Ballet's 20th Anniversary production of "The Nutcracker" Dec. 12 through 30 at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 E. Congress Parkway, Chicago

The production will feature the full Joffrey Ballet company, plus the Arpino Apprentices, and a puppeteer, augmented by five local children's choruses and young dancers ages 9 to 14.

The Joffrey is continuing its tradition of being joined on stage by over 120 young dancers from all over the Chicago area, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin. In addition, young vocalists from the Providence-St. Mel School Choir, the Oak Park and River Forest Children's Chorus, the Chicago Children's Choir, Barrington Children's Choir, and the Youth Choral Theater of Chicago will perform the choral parts from Tchaikovsky's magical "snow scene."

Tickets, priced from $25 to $125, are currently on-sale at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University box office, all Ticketmaster Ticket Centers, by telephone at (312) 902-1500, or online at www.ticketmaster.com.