The Joffrey Ballet Artistic Director, Ashley Wheater, gathered together a stellar group of theatre artists, including Tony Award-winning choreographer Christopher Wheeldon; Caldecott Medal-winning author Brian Selznick, writer of the book that inspired the Oscar-winning film "Hugo"; MacArthur "Genius Grant" recipient Basil Twist; renowned puppeteer and Tony Award-nominated scenic designer Julian Crouch; and Tony Award-winning lighting designer Natasha Katz to reimagine the story of Clara, the privileged daughter of a 19th-century German merchant who falls asleep on Christmas Eve and dreams of a world of sweets.

As a result of this new A-list team of collaborators, the classic story evolved into the story of Marie, the daughter of a 19th-century Polish immigrant sculptress – a single mother working on a statue for the World’s Fair – who falls asleep on Christmas Eve and dreams of a completed and wondrous fairground, transforming this European import into a magical American story.

Featured in "Making a New American NUTCRACKER", behind-the-scenes interviews with the creative minds behind "The Nutcracker" explore how Buffalo Bill came to be a part of the ballet; why the dancer who plays the Nutcracker has to play his part mostly blind; choreographer Christopher Wheeldon’s observation that one part of Tchaikovsky’s score is reminiscent of an iconic TV theme song; and the salty advice Wheeldon received from Chicago’s mayor, Rahm Emanuel, a former dancer himself. Finally, they tell us about their first experiences seeing, or performing in, "The Nutcracker."