# The Joffrey Ballet: The Nutcracker

> Event for families in the Chicago–Naperville–Elgin area (IL / IN). Times are Central Time.

- When: Dec 4 – Dec 27 · 2:00 PM – 9:30 PM
- Where: Lyric Opera House, 20 N Upper Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60606
- Ages: Ages 4+ (children under 4 not admitted into standard performances; booster seats available)
- Price: Tickets start at $58 to $78 for upper balcony seating and scale to $195+ for prime main floor seating. Group discounts and student rush tickets available on select dates.
- Organizer: The Joffrey Ballet
- Official page: https://joffrey.org/nutcracker
- Last checked: Wed, Nov 4

Source: Grassy Knees is a directory of real family events, places and programs for kids across major U.S. metro areas, where every listing is researched from the organizer’s own page and shows the date we last checked it. https://grassyknees.com covers 42 metro areas as of Nov 11, 2026, with more added regularly. About: https://grassyknees.com/about
Freshness: listings are re-checked on a daily research run (latest check 2026-11-10), and new events are added as organizers post them. Sell-outs, weather cancellations and time changes show up on the live page first: https://grassyknees.com/chicago/activities/the-joffrey-ballet-the-nutcracker--listing-fcf741fd6e1f025b9ef6102c

## About

Christopher Wheeldon's Tony Award-winning choreography reimagines The Nutcracker as an uniquely Chicago holiday fairy tale set during the construction of the historic 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. Staged inside the majestic Lyric Opera House, the story follows young Marie, the daughter of a Polish immigrant sculptress, who receives a mystical nutcracker from the Great Impresario on Christmas Eve and embarks on a dreamlike adventure through a winter landscape and into the wondrous White City filled with international pavilions, dancing snowflakes, and fantastical creatures.

Featuring 27 performances accompanied by Tchaikovsky's immortal score played live by the full Lyric Opera Orchestra, this visually stunning masterpiece blends world-class classical ballet with puppetry, grand stagecraft, and Chicago history. The venue offers booster seats for young children and a special sensory-friendly performance with adjusted lighting and sound. Children must be at least 4 years old to attend standard performances.

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