Rediscover the magic of Dickens’ classic with a fresh, heartwarming adaptation that “makes you believe kindness can win” (Chicago Tribune). Follow Ebenezer Scrooge, a wealthy businessman whose disdain for the holidays is transformed on a fateful Christmas Eve. Directed by Jessica Thebus and featuring a “first-rate cast and marvelous staging” (Chicago Sun-Times), this beloved tale remains “the best Christmas story ever told” (Time Out Chicago).

EPSG:4326

A Christmas Carol 2024

Goodman Theatre

Dog Man: The Musical is a hilarious production based on the worldwide bestselling series from Dav Pilkey, the creator of Captain Underpants and Cat Kid Comic Club.

Dog Man: The Musical

Fine Arts Building Chicago

Experience the powerful and poignant opera "Blue," co-produced by Lyric Opera of Chicago, The Glimmerglass Festival, and Washington National Opera. This compelling narrative delves into the life of a Black middle-class family in Harlem, whose aspirations for their teenage son are tragically disrupted when he is shot by a white police officer. The opera features the evocative music of Tony-winning composer Jeanine Tesori, paired with a deeply sensitive libretto by Tazewell Thompson. The production stars the formidable bass Kenneth Kellogg, who has garnered acclaim in previous performances of this work, alongside mezzo-soprano Zoie Reams and baritone Norman Garrett. Sung in English with projected English titles, "Blue" is a moving exploration of contemporary social issues, brought to life through a combination of powerful vocals and dramatic storytelling. The production also includes accessible features such as ASL interpretation, audio-described performances, and touch tours, ensuring an inclusive experience for all audience members.

Blue

Lyric Opera House

Direct from Broadway, MEAN GIRLS is the hilarious hit musical from an award-winning creative team, including book writer TINA FEY (“30 Rock”), composer JEFF RICHMOND (“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”), lyricist NELL BENJAMIN (Legally Blonde) and original director and choreographer CASEY NICHOLAW (The Book of Mormon).

Mean Girls

Roosevelt University

Justin Robinson Quartet - Tribute to Roy Hargrove

Jazz Showcase

When you hear Judy Garland singing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” accompanied by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, you might find yourself tapping your heels together three times as you think to yourself, “there’s no place like Orchestra Hall.” “Follow the Yellow Brick Road” with Dorothy and revel in Herbert Stothart’s beautiful score performed live by the CSO as MGM’s Technicolor classic plays on the big screen.

The Wizard of Oz in Concert

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Steve Schneck grew up in New York with jazz and classical music in the background and a photo of Louis Armstrong in his bedroom. From the beginning, his mother wanted Steve to be a trumpet player. After learning to play the ukulele and piano, Steve began studying trumpet at age 9 and he’s been playing the trumpet and flugelhorn for more than 50 years. Steve’s mother taught classical piano and his father played folk guitar. His extended family, including 4 generations of mandolin players, regularly played music whenever they got together and still do.

Steve Schneck Quartet

Rachmaninov’s majestic First Symphony churns with youthful romantic fervor and ethereal mystery — perfect for a December outing. Grieg’s Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, inspired by Norway’s national folk hero, includes the instantly familiar dream-like fantasy of “The Hall of the Mountain King.” Johannes Moser brings his “remarkably visceral and vivid playing” (Gramophone) to Lutosławski’s wild and enchanting Cello Concerto.

Grieg & Rachmaninov

### Event Description: The Nutcracker by Joffrey Ballet

**Event:** The Nutcracker  
**Choreography:** Christopher Wheeldon  
**Music:** Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky  
**Dates:** December 6-28, 2024  
**Location:** Lyric Opera House  
**Running Time:** 2 hours  

**Description:**
Experience the magic of the holiday season with the Joffrey Ballet's enchanting production of "The Nutcracker," choreographed by two-time Tony Award-winner Christopher Wheeldon. Set against the backdrop of Chicago's 1893 World's Fair, this beloved version of the classic ballet brings to life a festive celebration on a magical Christmas Eve.

Join Marie and her mother, a sculptress working on the fair’s iconic Statue of the Republic, as they partake in a joyous celebration with a surprise visit from the mysterious Great Impresario. The night unfolds with an epic battle between Toy Soldiers and The Rat King, leading Marie on a whirlwind journey with the Nutcracker Prince to the dreamlike fairgrounds of the World’s Columbian Exposition, featuring sprawling attractions from around the globe.

The production is set to Tchaikovsky’s timeless score and features a celebrated creative team, including:
- **Julian Crouch:** Tony Award-nominated set and costume designer
- **Brian Selznick:** Caldecott Medal Award-winning author
- **Basil Twist:** Obie and Drama Desk award-winning puppeteer
- **Natasha Katz:** Tony Award-winning lighting designer
- **Ben Pearcy:** Tony Award-winning projection designer

**Sponsors:**
- **Presenting Sponsor:** Guarantee Trust Life Insurance Company
- **Commissioning Sponsors:** Margot and Josef Lakonishok, Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust, Hancher Auditorium, University of Iowa

Celebrate the holiday season with this heartwarming and visually stunning production that redefines holiday magic in Chicago. Whether it's your first time or your 51st, "The Nutcracker" by the Joffrey Ballet promises to tug at your heartstrings and leave you in awe.

The Nutcracker

Since its inception in 2018, the resident ensemble of the University of Chicago’s Center for Contemporary Composition has premiered 60 new musical works. Conductor Kiki Kilburn leads the Grossman Ensemble for the premiere of four more new works created as part of a nine-week collaboration with “trailblazing” (Los Angeles Times) Pulitzer Prize finalist and GRAMMY-nominated composer Andy Ahiko, UChicago's own PhD composer Benjamin Martin, multi-award-winning composer and sonic artist Nina C. Young, Shih-Hui Chen, known for her “deep musical intelligence” (Wire Magazine). Followed by an after-party with the artists.

Grossman Ensemble - World Premieres I

Logan Center

Funny, irresistible and heart-warming, Love Actually is set in contemporary London in the weeks before Christmas and tells one story which weaves together a spectacular amount of love stories – sometimes romantic, sometimes sad, sometimes stupid – all funny in their own way.

Love Actually in Concert

Everywhere you look it seems love is causing chaos. From the new bachelor Prime Minister who falls in love 30 seconds after entering Downing Street to a loser sandwich delivery guy who doesn’t have hope with the girls in the UK so heads for Wisconsin; from a jilted writer who escapes the south of France to nurse his broken heart to an aging rock star trying to make a comeback at any price; from a bride having problems with her husband’s best man to a married woman having trouble with her husband; from a schoolboy with a crush on the prettiest girl in the school to his architect step-father with a crush on Claudia Schiffer.

Love Actually In Concert

As companies around the globe celebrate the centennial of Giacomo Puccini’s death in 2024,  COT  presents a unique concert that highlights how Puccini’s work impacted the evolution of opera and musical theater. This special event will feature beloved arias and ensembles from Puccini’s operas alongside a variety of scenes from operas and musicals by composers who were influenced by the great Italian composer, including Franz Lehár, Leoš Janacek, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Gian Carlo Menotti, Daniel Catán, Richard Rodgers, Stephen Sondheim, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and Jonathan Larson.  Featured guest artists will be announced this summer.

Bohème & Beyond

DePaul University Welcome Center

You better watch out, you better not cry, because “The Queens of Christmas” (Entertainment Weekly) are coming to Chicago with a brand new edition of the internationally acclaimed The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show!

The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show

The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is set to captivate audiences at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater with its world premiere of "Pericles." This much-anticipated event marks the RSC's triumphant return to Chicago for the first time in 30 years, heralding a new era of collaboration between the two esteemed institutions. Directed by Tamara Harvey, in her inaugural season as co-artistic director alongside Daniel Evans, this production promises a fresh and profound take on William Shakespeare's tale of adventure, love, and miracles.

"Pericles" tells the story of Prince Pericles, whose life is upended by danger, leading him on an extraordinary journey across the seas. Through storms, shipwrecks, and unexpected trials, Pericles encounters love, loss, and the possibility of miracles. This production, direct from its run at the Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, showcases the RSC's commitment to bringing Shakespeare's works to life with new vigor and relevance.

The event is scheduled to run from October 20 to December 8, 2024, at the Courtyard Theater, located at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier. This engagement is particularly special as it represents the 100th international production by CST, further cementing its reputation for presenting world-class artistic performances.

Tamara Harvey and Daniel Evans, the RSC's co-artistic directors, express their excitement about this partnership, reflecting on the historical ties between the RSC and Chicago that date back to 1913. They emphasize their shared commitment to fostering international collaboration and presenting theater that resonates with contemporary audiences.

Tickets for "Pericles" will go on sale later this summer, offering theater enthusiasts the opportunity to witness this landmark production. Additional information about the event, including run time, parking, and dining options, will be available to ensure a memorable and enriching experience for all attendees.

Pericles

Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Marvin has left his wife, Trina, for his male lover; Trina has married Marvin’s therapist; and their son, Jason, is grappling with his parents’ divorce and his looming Bar Mitzvah. Everyone’s world has been upended and now, they must explore what their new lives may hold. Featuring a sung-through score and set against the backdrop of the AIDS epidemic, Falsettos is a humorous and heartbreaking web of ex-spouses, co-parents, new lovers, and the lesbians next door.

Falsettos

Court Theatre

Holiday Festival

Athenaeum Center for Thought & Culture

A cat, dog and mouse all turn down the Little Red Hen’s requests for help planting wheat, grinding flour and baking bread — and are disappointed when the hen eats the delicious bread all by herself. Featuring delightful musical portraits of animals, this classic children’s tale explores the importance of working together as a community.

School Concert: Once Upon a Symphony: The Little Red Hen

Spanning candlelit chant to buoyant gospel music, Chanticleer’s annual holiday programs have been a treasured part of the season for decades. For one night only at Symphony Center, the men’s vocal ensemble offers luminous arrangements of carols and other festive classics.

A Chanticleer Christmas

At the start of the Great Recession in September 2008, Petra's Recession Seven, an authentic Chicago-style jazz band was born at Chicago's legendary Green Mill. The seven piece ensemble is led by Petra van Nuis, a vocalist praised by the Chicago Tribune for her "interpretive savvy...light-and-silvery vocals and, better still, saucy manner of delivery that emphasizes the art of the double entendre."

Events in Chicago, IL next month

A Christmas Carol 2024

Goodman Theatre

Dog Man: The Musical

Fine Arts Building Chicago

Blue

Lyric Opera of Chicago

Mean Girls

Auditorium Theatre

Justin Robinson Quartet -...

Jazz Showcase

The Wizard of Oz in Conce...

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Steve Schneck Quartet

Jazz Showcase

Grieg & Rachmaninov

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

The Nutcracker

Joffrey Ballet

Grossman Ensemble - World...

UChicago Presents

Love Actually in Concert

Auditorium Theatre

Love Actually In Concert

Chicago Philharmonic

Bohème & Beyond

Chicago Opera Theater

The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday ...

Auditorium Theatre

Pericles

Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier...

Falsettos

TimeLine Theatre Company

Holiday Festival

Lakeview Orchestra

School Concert: Once Upon...

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

A Chanticleer Christmas

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Petra's Recession Seven

Jazz Showcase