Von Heidecke's Chicago Festival Ballet (CFB) Performs Beloved Production of "The Nutcracker" at the MAC Dec. 19 & 20

Von Heidecke’s Chicago Festival Ballet (CFB) performs its 26th annual production of “The Nutcracker” at the McAninch Arts Center (MAC), located at 425 Fawell Blvd., Saturday, Dec. 19 at 2 and 7 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 20 at 1 and 5 p.m. New Philharmonic, under the baton of Maestro Kirk Muspratt, will perform Tchaikovsky’s classic “Nutcracker” score live for this full-scale, lavish production.

“There are very few opportunities to see this beloved classic performed to live music,” says MAC Director Diana Martinez. “We’re fortunate that Von Heidecke’s Chicago Festival Ballet and New Philharmonic have once again teamed up to bring this holiday tradition to life at the MAC.

This year’s production features dozens dancers from Chicago and Chicago suburbs including Bolingbrook, Darien, Glen Ellyn, Homer Glen Lisle, Naperville, Plainfield, Wheaton and Woodridge, and even as far as Moline. They will be joined by guest artists in principal roles including former Joffrey Ballet company member Michael Anderson (Uncle Drosselmeyer), founding member of River North Dance Chicago Jeff Hancock (Herr Silberhaus), former Joffrey Ballet dancer and Houston Ballet principal Randy Herrera (Snow King, Cavalier, and Arabian), former apprentice with Inaside Chicago Dance Patrick Ingram (Mouse King), former Milwaukee Ballet principal dancer Deanna Stetsura (Snow Queen, Sugar Plum Fairy and Arabian) and former River North Dance Chicago dancer Jeff Wolfe (Nutcracker Prince).

The design team for this production includes Sahin Sahinoglu (set design), and Jeff Hendry and Oswaldo Muniz (costume design). Production stage manager is Tina Salamone.

“The Nutcracker,” featuring the exquisite music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, is a classic holiday fairy tale ballet in two acts. As a family’s Christmas Eve party ends, a dream takes the young daughter Clara to a magical world where she meets the Sugar Plum Fairy, the Snow Queen, dancing snowflakes and many other enchanting characters.

Von Heidecke’s Chicago Festival Ballet, under the artistic direction of Ken Von Heidecke, produces a repertoire of classical, romantic, and neoclassical works focusing upon the great musical compositions of the 19th and 20th century masters. Von Heidecke opened The Von Heidecke Dance Center in 1991 in Naperville, Ill. as a training center for young dancers to learn the art of classical ballet. More than two dozen of Von Heidecke’s students have gone on to professional careers in the U.S. and Europe. Mr. Von Heidecke’s numerous honors include inclusion in the Fox Valley Arts Hall of Fame and he was recently honored by his former High School with the York Distinguished Alumni 2015 Dukes of Distinction Award.

New Philharmonic is a member professional orchestra in residence of the MAC that has inspired classical music enthusiasts in Chicago and the suburbs for nearly four decades. Under the direction of Conductor and Music Director Kirk Muspratt, named a 2006 Chicagoan of the Year by the Chicago Tribune, the group gives innovative treatment to both classic compositions and modern works and strives to make the music accessible to new audiences and youth through a variety of educational efforts.

Von Heidecke’s Chicago Festival Ballet in conjunction with New Philharmonic, brings four performances of “The Nutcracker”to the McAninch Arts Center, located at 425 Fawell Blvd., Saturday, Dec. 19 at 2 and 7 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 20 at 1 and 5 p.m. Tickets for “The Nutcracker” are $43 Adults; $32 for youth ages 18 and under. There will be a free MAC Chat prior to both evening performances. For tickets or more information visit AtTheMAC.org or call 630.942.4000.