Life
In the great, windy city of Chicago, there are endless attractions and artist-filled glories to enjoy. And perhaps one of the greatest Christmas time joys is catching a rendition of The Nutcracker. Although many look to the big apple for the best theatre, ballet, and musicals, one of the wonderful things about Chicago is how strong the performance talent is there without quite as much traffic, bustle, and hype. If you're yearning to take the family to see the Sugar Plum Fairy this year, well here's where you find out just where to see The Nutcracker in Chicago this season.
Whether you are planning an outing with your closest group of friends, your significant other, or looking for an abbreviated, toddler-friendly rendition of The Nutcracker for the whole family, you're not going to regret watching this classic. Looking forward to The Nutcracker each year is arguably one of the best holiday traditions there are for families. Not only is it whimsical and captivating, but the pure talent that accompanies the choreography and orchestrated musical beauty throughout are truly an experience worth remembering.
Whether you're hoping for a classic staging of Tchaikovsky’s classic Russian-style The Nutcracker, or a modern no-dance version, there are plenty of talented and well-acclaimed showings to choose from in the Chicago area. So get out your nutcracker at home, prepare the kids for a unforgettable experience, and get your tickets for an amazing performance of The Nutcracker for you and your crew. You'll be dreaming of sugar plum fairies for the rest of the year, and that's a good year's end if you ask me.
Classic Joffrey Ballet
After almost 30 years, Joffrey Ballet retired the classic staging of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker. Instead, a fresh new version by Tony Award winner Christopher Wheeldon began just last year, in 2016. This rendition is based on an immigrant family from the world fair instead of a Victorian family. And it runs from now until Dec. 30 with ticket prices ranging from $66 to $624.
Modern Non-Ballet Interpretation
This non-ballet version of the famous classic centers around a young girl named Clara and her journey to save Christmas in the face of grief. There's puppetry, original song, and lots of magic for families and kids especially. Showings run until Dec. 30 with tickets at $40 each.
Traditional Russian-Style
For those families who want to see The Nutcracker performed in grand Russian style, you can head to watch the Salt Creek Ballet at a couple different performance centers in the Chicago area. On Dec. 16 and 17 at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie, there will be a cast 100 strong, according to the Chicago Tribune, and many are children and teens from the school of the Salt Creek Ballet
Students From Ballet Chicago
Ballet Chicago encourages you to come watch young Marie as she journeys from her home to the Kingdom of Snow and the Land of the Sweets. This exceptional school of dance puts students on track to explore their full potential, and you can experience their performance Dec. 8 through Dec. 17. Tickets range from $17 to $33.
A Local Family Showcase Rendition
Extremely talented and local young dancers and families get the chance to participate in the Fox Valley Nutcracker performance. What makes this showing so unique is that Fox Valley isn't associated with a specific dance school or theatre. Instead, people from all over the area come to audition and the ballet is put together through local love, according to artistic direct Ashlie Anderson in her interview with ABC 7 Chicago. These local dancers even get to perform amongst professionals, like the Joffrey Ballet performers, as well. Although performances generally run in November, this ballet is one to take note of for next year — whether you want to watch it or try out for.
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