'The Nutcracker': Where to see the pros and pros-in-the-making perform the holiday classic

Posted November 22, 2023 5:00 am

Daily Herald staff report

The Joffrey Ballet performs choreographer Christopher Wheeldon's "The Nutcracker" from Dec. 2-27 at The Lyric Opera House. Courtesy of Todd Rosenberg Photography

Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky's famous holiday ballet gets multiple stagings this time of year by both professional and community ensembles. Here's a partial list of suburban and city productions.

Professional

• The State Ballet Theatre of Ukraine presents "The Nutcracker" at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 24; 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 15; and 1 and 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 17, at Harris Theater, 205 E. Randolph Drive, Chicago. $55-$95. harristheaterchicago.org.

• Salt Creek Ballet presents "The Nutcracker" at 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 25; 1 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 26, at the Hinsdale Central High School Auditorium, 5500 S. Grant St., Hinsdale; tickets start at $42.

Also: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 1, and 1 and 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2, at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie; $28-$54. (847) 673-6300 or northshorecenter.org.

Also: 1 and 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16; 1 and 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 17, at The McAninch Arts Center, College of DuPage, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn; $36 and $46. (630) 942-4000 or atthemac.org.

• "The Immersive Nutcracker: A Winter Miracle," consisting of projections of animated characters alongside footage of professional dancers, run at various dates from Friday, Nov. 24, through Jan. 7, at the Lighthouse Art Space, 18 W. Germania Place, Chicago. Tickets start at $24.99. See immersive-nutcracker.com.

• The Joffrey Ballet's "The Nutcracker," choreographed by Tony Award winner Christopher Wheeldon and set during Chicago's 1893 World's Fair, runs Saturday, Dec. 2, to Dec. 27 at the Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Upper Wacker Drive, Chicago. Tickets start at $36. (312) 386-8905 or joffrey.org.

• A & A Ballet's 1920s inspired "Art Deco Nutcracker," featuring 19-year-old Shania Cook of Schaumburg as Clara, takes place at 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2, at the Athenaeum Theater, 2936 N. Southport Ave., Chicago. $18-$55. (312) 545-2142 or aacenterfordance.org.

• "Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet" performances are at 2 and 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 3, at the Rosemont Theatre, 5400 N. River Road, Rosemont. $26-$77. See nutcracker.com.

• The Ruth Page Center for the Arts' "The Nutcracker" is staged at 3 and 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2, and 1 and 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 3, at Northeastern Illinois University's Salme Harju Steinberg Fine Arts Center, 3701 N. Bryn Mawr Ave., Chicago. $42.50.

Also: 1 and 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16, and 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 17, at the College of Lake County's James Lumber Center for the Performing Arts, 19351 W. Washington St., Grayslake. $26. See ruthpage.org.

• Ballet Chicago's "The Nutcracker" is presented at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8; 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9; and 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 10, at the Athenaeum Center for Thought and Culture, 2936 N. Southport Ave., Chicago. $20-$60. (312) 820-6250 or athenaeumcenter.org.

Also: 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 15; 1 and 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 17, the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph St., Chicago. $15-$85. (312) 334-7777 or harristheaterchicago.org.

• The contemporary dance-inspired "Hip-Hop Nutcracker" plays at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 12; Thursday, Dec. 14; and Friday, Dec. 15; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 13; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16; and 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 17, at the Cadillac Palace, Theatre, 151 E. Randolph St., Chicago. $31.50-$96.50. See broadwayinchicago.com.

• Engage Dance Theatre's "The Nutcracker" is staged at 1 and 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 16-17, at the Raue Center for the Arts, 26 N. Williams St., Crystal Lake. $30. A sensory-friendly performance takes place at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 20, $20. (815) 356-9212 or rauecenter.org.

Community productions

• The Fox Valley "Nutcracker" is presented at 1 and 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 25, and 1 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 26, at the Batavia Fine Arts Centre, 1250 W. Wilson St., Batavia. It features students from local dance studios. Tickets start at $30.50. foxvalleynutcracker.com or www.bataviafineartscentre.org.

• The Schaumburg Dance Ensemble's 28th annual production of "The Nutcracker" takes place at 7 p.m. Thursdays, Nov. 30 and Dec. 7; Fridays, Dec. 1 and 8; 1 and 5 p.m. Saturdays, Dec. 2 and 9; and 1 and 5 p.m. Sundays, Dec. 3 and 10, at the Al Larson Prairie Center for the Arts, 201 Schaumburg Court, Schaumburg. $26-$38. www.prairiecenter.org.

• Barrington Dance Ensemble's 30th annual production features guest artists from the Milwaukee Ballet and Giordano Dance Chicago at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 1; 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2; and 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 2, at Barrington High School, 616 Main St., Barrington. $25-$38. (847) 382-6333 or barringtondance.org.

• Albright Community Theatre presents the ballet as a play at 7:30 p.m. Fridays, Dec. 1 and 8; 2:30 p.m. Saturdays, Dec. 2 and 9; 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 3; and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9, at 100 N. Island Ave., Batavia. $18-$23. albrighttheatre.com.

• The Bartlett Park District and Lisa's School of Dance presents "Nutcracker All Jazzed Up" at 7 p.m. Fridays, Dec. 1 and 8; and noon, 3:30 and 7 p.m. Saturdays, Dec. 2 and 9, at 700 S. Bartlett Road, Bartlett. Tickets required. bartlettparks.org.

• M3 Dance's "The Nutcracker" blends ballet, jazz and tumbling at noon and 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2, and noon Sunday, Dec. 3, at the Hemmens, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin. The performance features professional guest performers and students. $25-$40. cityofelgin.org.

• Elise Flagg Academy of Dance presents "The Naperville Nutcracker" at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8; 1 and 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9; and 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 10, at Pfeiffer Hall, 310 E. Benton, Naperville. $30-$40. eliseflagg.com.

• The Judith Svalander School of Ballet stages "The Nutcracker" at 7 p.m. Fridays, Dec. 8 and 15; 2 and 7 p.m. Saturdays, Dec. 9 and 16; and 2 and 6 p.m. Sundays, Dec. 10 and 17, at the Woodstock Opera House, 121 Van Buren St., Woodstock. $20-$45. woodstockoperahouse.com.

• LoMastro Performing Arts Academy's "Nutcracker" production features dancers ages 7-18 at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 15; 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16; and 2 and 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 17, at the John & Nancy Hughes Theater, 400 E. Illinois Road, Lake Forest. $30-$38. lomastro.com.

• Studio 83 Dance Academy's "Nutcracker" performances are at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 15; 3 and 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16; and 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 17, at the Community Arts Center, 225 McHenry Road, Buffalo Grove. $15 at studio83.org. bgparks.org/programs/dance.

• Dancenter North's "Magic of the Nutcracker" is at 6:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Dec. 21-22, at the Genesee Theatre, 203 N. Genesee St., Waukegan. $18-$40. geneseetheatre.com.

Salt Creek Ballet performs "The Nutcracker" at The North Shore Center for the Performing Arts and at The McAninch Arts Center. Courtesy of Keith Gerling

Ruth Page Center for the Arts' annual production of "The Nutcracker" takes place at Northeastern Illinois University and at the College of Lake County. Courtesy of Anthony Robert LaPenna

Shania Cook of Schaumburg dances the role of Clara in A & A Ballet's "Art Deco Nutcracker." Courtesy of Star Action Shots

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