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Tuesday, 10 December 2024 12:56

The Hip Hop Nutcracker is Now Playing

The Hip Hop Nutcracker has returned to Chicago by popular demand and is now playing at Broadway In Chicago’s CIBC Theatre through December 15, 2024. Individual tickets ($38-$136) and a select number of premium tickets are on sale now and may be purchased at BroadwayInChicago.com. Group orders of 10+ are also available by calling (312)977-1710 or by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Patrons can also participate in a digital lottery for a chance to purchase $25 tickets for each performance. In addition to the lottery, a limited number of day-of-show, in person $49 Rush tickets will be available for all performances. Click here for more info on Digital Lottery and In Person Rush.

The Hip Hop Nutcracker is directed, choreographed, and co-created by Jennifer Weber – an Emmy winner and two-time Tony and Olivier award-nominee who also choreographed the international hit musical, “& Juliet” currently playing on Broadway. Executive producing is three-time Tony winner and two-time Olivier award-winning producer Eva Price, whose productions have garnered six Olivier Awards, two GRAMMY Awards, two Emmy Awards, and 19 Tony Awards. The re-mixed and re-imagined version of the classic story turns the beloved Nutcracker score on its head. Hip hop dance and Tchaikovsky’s timeless music blend together for a heart-stirring and inspirational holiday event that takes audiences on a journey celebrating love, community, and the magic of the holiday season.

Kurtis Blow is host and MC of the family-friendly holiday mash-up and contemporary holiday dance spectacle that has performed more than 250 times in 70 cities. Joining Blow on stage is the powerhouse cast of a dozen all-star dancers, an on-stage DJ, and an electric violinist.

The Hip Hop Nutcracker is a magical journey where tradition meets innovation, offering families and friends a holiday experience like no other,” says Blow, who paved the way for generations of hip hop artists and fans after scoring the first certified gold record rap song in 1980. Blow is also responsible for “Christmas Rappin,” acclaimed for being the first rap holiday song. “This show is proof that the magic of the holidays can be found in the most unexpected places.” Blow says the all-star cast, dynamic choreography, and stunning performances honor hip hop's rich history while celebrating a cherished holiday story.

Just like the original, Maria-Clara and the Nutcracker Prince go on a dream adventure battling a gang of mice, visiting the land of sweets, and learning the lessons of the holiday season. Innovative digital graffiti and visuals transform the landscape of E.T.A. Hoffmann’s beloved story from traditional 19th century Germany to the vibrant, diverse sights and sounds of contemporary New York City.

Created in 2013 by Weber and writer Mike Fitelson, the production has evolved into a masterpiece due to the creators' never-ending commitment to enhancing the production, and dancers who continue to raise the bar each year.

For tour dates and more information about where to purchase tickets to The Hip Hop Nutcracker, visit www.hiphopnutcracker.com. For the latest news and updates follow The Hip Hop Nutcracker on Facebook and Instagram ; #HipHopNutcracker.

About Jennifer Weber (Director/Choreographer)
Jennifer Weber is the choreographer of the international hit musical, & Juliet currently playing on Broadway and in Germany as well as touring across the US and UK. The show previously played Australia, Singapore and London’s West End. She received both Olivier & Tony Nominations for Best Choreography for her work on & Juliet. Broadway/Off Broadway KPOP (Tony Nomination, Best Choreography), American Idiot (CTG/Deaf West), Teenage Dick (The Public), Cruel Intentions (LPR/US Tour). Upcoming projects include Take the Lead (Papermill Playhouse) and Kane and Able (The Orb, Tokyo). Film: Disney Zombies 2While You Were Gone (Emmy Win, short form entertainment) TV: The Tonight ShowLate Night with Seth Meyers, The Drew Barrymore ShowThe Tony AwardsThe Macy’s Thanksgiving Day ParadeGood Morning AmericaAmerica’s Got TalentBritain’s Got TalentStrictly Come Dancing and Blue Peter; Commissions: Tulsa Ballet, LA Music Center, Baryshnikov Arts Center, NY City Center. Weber is the co-creator, director, and choreographer of The Hip Hop Nutcracker , featuring rap legend Kurtis Blow, touring annually across the U.S. and recorded for an Emmy winning PBS All Arts special. In 2022, she collaborated with Disney as Executive Producer / Choreographer on a film version of The Hip Hop Nutcracker for Disney+.

About Eva Price (Executive Producer)
EVA PRICE (Producer) is an NYCLU/ACLU honoree and a three-time Tony award-winning, and two-time Olivier award-winning producer. Her productions have garnered 6 Olivier Awards, 2 Grammy Awards, 2 Emmy Awards, and 19 Tony Awards. Current: & Juliet (Broadway, National Tour); Titanique (Off-Broadway, International Companies)  The Hip Hop Nutcracker (Touring Live Show, Disney +). Upcoming: Redwood (Broadway); Take the Lead (Paper Mill Playhouse). Selected credits: Redwood (La Jolla Playhouse), A Transparent Musical (Center Theatre Group); Mindplay (Arena Stage & Geffen Playhouse); Jagged Little Pill (2 Tony Awards); Oklahoma!  (2 Tony Awards, 2 Olivier Awards, Best Musical Revival, National Tour, West End); Tina - The Tina Turner Musical; What the Constitution Means to MeAngels in America (Tony-winning Broadway Revival starring Nathan Lane and Andrew Garfield); Dear Evan Hansen (6 Tony Awards, 3 Olivier Awards); Peter and the Starcatcher (5 Tony Awards) along with several solo shows and critically acclaimed concerts starring The Temptations & The Four Tops; Kathy Griffin; Lewis Black; Colin Quinn; and Hershey Felder.

About Mike Fitelson (Writer/Co-Creator)
Mike Fitelson is the CEO of the United Palace, the 94-year-old Wonder Theatre in Washington Heights, Manhattan’s 4th  largest theatre. In 2014 as the executive director of the nonprofit United Palace of Cultural Arts (UPCA) he co-created “The Hip Hop Nutcracker” with Jennifer Weber, adapting the story and supplying the images for the scenery, and produced its premiere. Fitelson has worked to build the Northern Manhattan arts community for 22 years. He co-founded the annual arts festival, the Uptown Arts Stroll, in 2003; served in every capacity of the Manhattan Times, the bilingual community newspaper of Washington Heights and Inwood, from 2002-2011; and helped found the nonprofit Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance in 2006. 

About New Jersey Performing Arts Center/NJPAC (Producer)
NJPAC, located in downtown Newark, New Jersey, is among the largest performing arts centers in the United States. It is the artistic, cultural, educational and civic center of New Jersey — where great performances and events enhance and transform lives every day. As New Jersey’s anchor cultural institution, NJPAC brings diverse communities together, providing access to all and showcasing the State’s and the world’s best artists, while acting as a leading catalyst in the revitalization of its home city. Through its extensive Arts Education programs, NJPAC is shaping the next generation of artists and arts enthusiasts. NJPAC has attracted more than 11 million visitors (including more than two million children) since opening its doors in 1997, and nurtures meaningful and lasting relationships with each of its constituents. www.njpac.org
About Maximum Entertainment Productions (MEP)
MEP (General Management) is a producing, developing, and management company founded by Avram Freedberg, Mary Beth Dale, and Eva Price; and is joined by Managing Director/General Manager Carl Flanigan. Select credits include Titanique, Redwood, Small Mouth Sounds; Cruel Intentions: The ‘90s Musical; Verso; Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons on Broadway!; The Lion; The Hip Hop Nutcracker; and Colin Quinn: Long Story Short. www.maximumcompany.com

ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO
Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 25 years has grown to be one of the largest commercial touring homes in the country. A Nederlander Presentation, Broadway In Chicago lights up the Chicago Theater District entertaining up to 1.7 million people annually in five theatres. Broadway In Chicago presents a full range of entertainment, including musicals and plays, on the stages of five of the finest theatres in Chicago’s Loop including the Cadillac Palace Theatre, CIBC Theatre, James M. Nederlander Theatre, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place and presenting Broadway shows at the Auditorium Theatre.

For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com

Follow @BroadwayInChicago
Facebook ● Instagram ● TikTok 
#broadwayinchicago
 

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