Joffrey Ballet's 'Nutcracker' canceled due to breakthrough COVID-19 cases

The Joffrey Ballet has canceled the remainder of its 2021 run of "The Nutcracker" due to breakthrough cases of COVID-19 within the company.

Five remaining performances of the classic Tchaikovsky Christmas ballet were scheduled through Sunday, Dec. 26, at the Lyric Opera House in Chicago. The decision to cancel was made out of concern for the health and safety of the cast, crew and audience.

Breakthrough COVID-19 cases previously caused three "Nutcracker" performances to be canceled on Dec. 17 and 18. The Joffrey had announced that "Nutcracker" cast members would be wearing masks on stage when performances resumed on Sunday, Dec. 19.

Many other live theater shows around Chicago have canceled performances due to breakthrough cases of COVID-19. This included the Broadway tour of "Pretty Woman: The Musical," which canceled it final four days of shows at Chicago's CIBC Theatre earlier this month.

Ticket holders to canceled "Nutcracker" performances have the option to transfer the value of their purchase toward a subscription or future production, to make a tax-deductible donation to The Joffrey Ballet's Annual fund, or to receive a refund. Call (312) 386-8905 or visit joffrey.org.