The Nutcracker

Having retired cofounder Robert Joffrey's production of The Nutcracker after nearly 30 years, the Joffrey Ballet debuted a brand-new version in 2016, set in Chicago against the backdrop of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. This year's production will be staged in the Civic Opera House (where the Lyric Opera also resides), featuring music performed by the Lyric Opera Orchestra and the stunning choreography of Christopher Wheeldon. The Chicago-inspired iteration of the classic Christmas ballet will have you humming “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” for days after you leave the theater.