Now Streaming
Join narrator Neve Campbell to discover how the Joffrey Ballet brought this piece to life.
Join narrator Neve Campbell and the creative team behind The Joffrey Ballet’s new production of Chirstopher Wheeldon’s “The Nutcracker,” a bold re-imagining of the Christmas classic that places Marie in the humble home of a 19th Century immigrant family where she falls asleep and dreams of a journey through the Chicago World’s Fair.
Join narrator Neve Campbell and the creative team behind The Joffrey Ballet’s new production of Chirstopher Wheeldon’s “The Nutcracker,” a bold re-imagining of the Christmas classic that places Marie in the humble home of a 19th Century immigrant family where she falls asleep and dreams of a journey through the Chicago World’s Fair.
![Making a New American NUTCRACKER]()
Making a New American NUTCRACKER
Making a New American NUTCRACKER
Discover how the Joffrey Ballet's creative team brought this original piece to life.
Making a New American NUTCRACKER
![Preview]()
Making a New American NUTCRACKER
Join narrator Neve Campbell to discover how the Joffrey Ballet brought this piece to life.
Preview
![Extended Preview]()
Making a New American NUTCRACKER
Discover how the Joffrey Ballet's creative team brought this original piece to life.
Extended Preview
Providing Support for PBS.org
Photos from Making a New American NUTCRACKER
1/10
Victoria Jaiani performing in "The Nutcracker."
Cheryl Mann
2/10
The Joffrey Ballet performing "The Nutcracker."
Cheryl Mann
3/10
Christine Rocas and Fabrice Calmels of the Joffrey Ballet performing "The Nutcracker."
Cheryl Mann
4/10
"The Nutcracker," performed by The Joffrey Ballet.
Cheryl Mann
5/10
Miguel Angel Blanco
Todd Rosenberg
6/10
Jeraldine Mendoza and Dylan Gutierrez
Joffrey Ballet
7/10
Jeraldine Mendoza and Dylan Gutierrez
Joffrey Ballet
8/10
Christopher Wheeldon
Todd Rosenberg
9/10
Christopher Wheeldon
Todd Rosenberg
10/10
Christine Rocas, Christopher Wheeldon, and Fabrice Calmels.
Todd Rosenberg
About the Show
"Making a New American NUTCRACKER," narrated by actress Neve Campbell ("The Company"), takes audiences behind the scenes with the creative visionaries that work to bring this striking original production to life. Alongside the performers, these creatives share anecdotes about the production process, featured in interviews conducted at Chicago’s historic Glessner House, the Athenaeum Theatre, The Parsonage, the American Ballet Theatre, and the New Amsterdam Theatre.
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."
Producer
Support for PBS.org provided by: