Upcoming Events at the Auditorium Theatre

Release date: November 29, 2018

Show Listings and Information
Through May 19, 2019

THE JOFFREY BALLET – THE NUTCRACKER | December 1-30

Choreographer: © Christopher Wheeldon
Music: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Journey to Chicago’s 1893 World’s Fair with Wheeldon’s holiday masterpiece. Magic is on the horizon for young Marie and her mother, a sculptress creating the iconic Statue of the Republic. As they prepare for their annual holiday celebration, a visit from the charming but mysterious Great Impresario sets off a Christmas Eve dream of whirlwind romance and adventure. Wheeldon’s Nutcracker is a must-see tradition boldly reimagined for a new generation.

Individual tickets start at $35 and are available by phone at 312.341.2300 or online here.

TOO HOT TO HANDEL: THE JAZZ-GOSPEL MESSIAH | January 19+20

It’s always cold outside this time of year, but it’s hot inside the Auditorium Theatre! Warm up with celebrated soloists Rodrick Dixon, Alfreda Burke, and Karen Marie Richardson — joined by famed Detroit pianist Alvin Waddles and over 100 Chicago musicians and singers — as they put a blues, jazz, gospel, and rock twist on Handel’s classic oratorio. Celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s vision of creating a “beloved community” as people from all across the city and beyond come together under one roof to be a part of this “joyously interactive, everybody-clap-your-hands experience” (Chicago Tribune).

EXELON – Presenting Sponsor | ALLSTATE – Educational Outreach Sponsor | CIBC – Student Matinee Sponsor | THE ROBERT THOMAS BOBINS FOUNDATION – Student Matinee Sponsor | WILLIAM & SHELLEY FARLEY – Video Enhancement Sponsors

Additional support provided by FRIENDS OF TOO HOT

Event Information
Friday, January 18 | 11AM – One hour student matinee
Saturday, January 19 | 7:30PM
Sunday, January 20 | 3PM

Individual tickets start at $29 and are available by phone at 312.341.2300 or online here. Discounted tickets for groups of 10+ people are also available. Too Hot to Handel: The Jazz-Gospel Messiah is part of the American Music Series subscription package, which is available now by phone at 312.341.2300 or online here.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC LIVE – PINK BOOTS AND A MACHETE | January 24

National Geographic Live returns to Chicago on the Auditorium’s historic stage with a year-long series dedicated to inspirational women.

This evening features Mireya Mayor, a former NFL cheerleader and daughter of Cuban immigrants who followed her unlikely dreams to become a respected primatologist. This audacious explorer is the co-discoverer of the world’s smallest primate in Madagascar and an Emmy Award-nominated wildlife correspondent for the National Geographic Channel. Mayor tells her tales of traveling to some of the wildest and most remote places on earth, armed with little more than a backpack, notebook, and hiking boots.

ELIZABETH YNTEMA & MARK FERGUSON – Series Sponsors (Chicago, IL)

PNC BANK – Presenting Sponsor

Event Information
Thursday, January 24 | 7PM

Individual tickets start at $42 and are available by phone at 312.341.2300 or online here. Discounted tickets for groups of 10+ people are also available. Pink Boots and a Machete is part of the National Geographic Live Series subscription package, which is available by phone at 312.341.2300 or online here.

TRINITY IRISH DANCE COMPANY | February 2

The company known as the birthplace of contemporary Irish dance returns to Chicago for the first time in over a decade. Called “sophisticated and commanding” by the Los Angeles Times and “impossibly complex” by The New York Times, Trinity has sold out shows around the world and at distinguished venues throughout North America, including the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC; the Joyce Theater in New York City; and Royce Hall in Los Angeles. The company has also made memorable appearances on television shows like Conan, The Tonight Show, and Good Morning America. This one-night-only appearance includes the world premiere of the company’s most ambitious work to date, An Sorcas (The Circus), a collaborative work created by Founding Artistic Director Mark Howard and Associate Artistic Director Chelsea Hoy that comments on the juxtaposition between substance and spectacle, along with classic works like Howard’s Soles, a tribal and timeless explosion of lightning-fast agility.

Event Information
Saturday, February 2 | 7:30PM

Individual tickets start at $29 and are available by phone at 312.341.2300 or online here. Discounted tickets for groups of 10+ people are also available. Trinity Irish Dance Company is part of the “Made in Chicago” 312 Series subscription package, which is available by phone at 312.341.2300 or online here.

SHH…TRIVIA NIGHT! | February 1

For the sixth year, the Auditorium Theatre Auxiliary Board welcomes guests into the historic stacks of the Murray-Green Library to participate in its annual trivia fundraiser supporting Hearts to Art, a performing arts camp for children who have experienced the death of a parent. Raise a glass, grab a bite, and test your knowledge — the librarian’s rules won’t apply! Prizes awarded to winning teams!

Event Information
Friday, February 1 | 6:30PM

Individual tickets go on sale Monday, December 3 at 10AM.

THE JOFFREY BALLET – ANNA KARENINA | February 13-24

Choreography: Yuri Possokhov
Music: Ilya Demutsky

WORLD PREMIERE

Leo Tolstoy’s seminal tale of passion and revenge comes to life in groundbreaking fashion. Stuck in a cold marriage, the regal Anna Karenina yearns for love in dangerous places, as a sweeping affair leads to unspeakable heartbreak and death. Led by visionary choreographer Possokhov, this world premiere-collaboration between The Joffrey Ballet and The Australian Ballet enlists an all-star creative team, including Possokhov; composer Ilya Demutsky, 2016 Golden Mask Award recipient, Russia’s most prestigious theatre honor; Emmy Award-winning designer Tom Pye; and renowned lighting designer David Finn.

Individual tickets start at $35 and are available by phone at 312.341.2300 or online here.

HUBBARD STREET DANCE CHICAGO/MALPASO DANCE COMPANY | March 2+3

Two acclaimed contemporary dance companies – one known for its influence on America’s contemporary dance scene and one that is innovating Cuban dance in Havana – join forces for the first time. In addition to a collaborative work danced by both companies, Malpaso performs a world-premiere piece by Chicago’s Robyn Mineko Williams, commissioned by the Auditorium Theatre, and Hubbard Street performs a work by Malpaso Artistic Director Osnel Delgado. Malpaso dancers are “both humble and sparklingly present – and remarkably strong all around” (The New York Times), while Hubbard Street’s dancing is “as breathtaking as ever” (WTTW). Don’t miss these forward-thinking dance pioneers when they hit the Auditorium Theatre’s stage.

The Auditorium Theatre’s commission of a new work for Malpaso Dance Company is made possible through the generosity of PAMELA CRUTCHFIELD (Lead Commissioner) with additional support from
PATTI EYLAR & CHARLIE GARDNER and AMALIA & WILLIAM MAHONEY.

MACARTHUR FOUNDATION – Exchange Sponsor

The Auditorium’s outreach initiatives for the Hubbard Street/Malpaso Dance Company performance are supported by the JOHN D. AND CATHERINE T. MACARTHUR FOUNDATION’s
International Connections Fund.

Event Information
Saturday, March 2 | 7:30PM
Sunday, March 3 | 3PM

Individual tickets start at $29 and are available by phone at 312.341.2300 or online here. Discounted tickets for groups of 10+ people are also available. Hubbard Street Dance Chicago/Malpaso Dance Company is part of the “Made in Chicago” 312 Series subscription package, which is available by phone at 312.341.2300 or online here.

ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER | March 6-10

The legendary multi-cultural company commemorates their 60th anniversary — and the 50th anniversary performing at the Auditorium Theatre, their Chicago home! In celebration of these exciting milestones, Ailey brings its first ever two-act ballet to the theatre for its Midwest premiere. Lazarus, co-commissioned by the Auditorium and created by renowned hip-hop choreographer Rennie Harris, is inspired by Alvin Ailey’s life and the racial inequities America faced when he founded the company in 1958 and still faces today. Each performance ends with company founder Alvin Ailey’s signature work Revelations, an enduring masterpiece that has been an audience favorite since the company’s inception. Ailey’s annual performances are “always a highlight of the Chicago season” (Chicago Sun-Times) and “a Chicago dance tradition, if we ever had one” (Chicago Tribune).

THE NIB FOUNDATION – International Dance Sponsor
RAVINIA FESTIVAL – Performance Sponsor | AVISON YOUNG – Opening Night Sponsor
MORGAN STANLEY – Performance Sponsor
MIELLE ORGANICS – Performance Sponsor | Additional support provided by ARTS MIDWEST

Commissioning support for Lazarus provided by the Auditorium Theatre with sponsorship support from ARIEL INVESTMENTS, AVISON YOUNG, and SVOBODA CAPITAL PARTNERS.

SPECIAL EVENT: Celebrating Ailey Soirée

Join us in celebrating Ailey’s 60th anniversary and its 50th anniversary performing at the Auditorium Theatre with an opening night performance and post-performance soirée with Artistic Director Robert Battle and members of the Ailey company. The Celebrating Ailey Soirée will be held at Venue Six10 immediately following the March 6 performance at the Auditorium Theatre and includes cocktails, buffet supper, music provided by a DJ, and more! All proceeds benefit the Auditorium’s presentation of the Ailey company in Chicago. Please contact Kelly Saroff Allen at 312.341.2364 for more information, or learn more online here.

Individual tickets start at $34 and are available by phone at 312.341.2300 or online here. Discounted tickets for groups of 10+ people are also available. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is part of the International Dance Series subscription package, which is available by phone at 312.341.2300 or online here.

ICCA GREAT LAKES SEMIFINAL, PRESENTED BY VARSITY VOCALS | March 16

The Varsity Vocals International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA) is the only global tournament that showcases the art of student a cappella singing. We are dedicated to providing top-notch collegiate a cappella groups with valuable feedback from our highly qualified judges, as well as the opportunity to perform in world-class venues across the country. Our young vocalists also have the opportunity to showcase their talent to an international audience and develop relationships with each other, cultivating the art of a cappella singing and a lifelong love of music.

Featuring the top ten groups in the Great Lakes region, the Semifinal event’s champion will move on to perform at the 2019 ICCA Finals in New York City in April.

Event Information
Saturday, March 16 | 7PM

Individual tickets go on sale Friday, November 30 at noon.

A WHOLE NEW WORLD OF ALAN MENKEN | March 30

A must-see evening for any Broadway lover! Alan Menken — the Oscar, Tony, and Grammy Award-winning composer and pianist behind beloved scores including The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin — brings his one-man retrospective show to our landmark stage. The “living legend” (Broadway World) performs some of his best-loved tunes and tells the story of his expansive career, which includes co-creating the musical Little Shop of Horrors; adapting his own music from classic Disney films for the stage; and writing scores for movies like Newsies and Tangled.

PAUL LISNEK – Presenting Sponsor

Event Information
Saturday, March 30 | 7:30PM

Individual tickets start at $30 and are available by phone at 312.341.2300 or online here. Discounted tickets for groups of 10+ people are also available. A Whole New World of Alan Menken is part of the American Music Series subscription package, which is available by phone at 312.341.2300 or online here.

National Geographic: Symphony for Our World | March 31

This unprecedented event pairs National Geographic’s stunning natural history footage with an original symphony composed by Bleeding Fingers Music, performed live by a full orchestra and choir. Driven by a five-part composition, the show brings viewers from the depths of the sea, up to coastlines, over mountains, and soaring into the sky. Each movement results in a powerful musical tribute to the beauty and wonders of our wild world. The 90-minute show highlights groundbreaking imagery and storytelling from 130 years of beloved National Geographic history.

Symphony for Our World is officially licensed by National Geographic and produced by Jason Michael Paul Entertainment with support from Innovation Arts & Entertainment.

Event Information
Sunday, March 31 | 3PM

Individual tickets start at $24 (for children under the age of 12, limit 2) and $49 and are available by phone at 312.341.2300 or online here.

BROADWAY IN CHICAGO – JERSEY BOYS | April 2-7

They were just four guys from Jersey, until they sang their very first note. They had a sound nobody had ever heard…and the radio just couldn’t get enough of. But while their harmonies were perfect on stage, off stage it was a very different story — a story that has made them an international sensation all over again.

Go behind the music and inside the story of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons in the Tony Award®-winning true-life musical phenomenon, Jersey Boys. From the streets of New Jersey to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, this is the musical that’s just too good to be true.

Featuring the legendary top ten hits “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Walk Like a Man,” “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You,” and “December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night).”

Information regarding ticket on-sale will be released at a later date.

AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE – WHIPPED CREAM | April 11-14

America’s National Ballet Company® gives the Midwest premiere of Alexei Ratmansky’s Whipped Cream on the Auditorium Theatre’s landmark stage. Called “a bewitching success” by the Los Angeles Times and “visually enchanting” by The Wall Street Journal, this whimsical story ballet follows a young boy after he overindulges in sweets and falls into a sugar-induced delirium! Set to a 1924 score by Richard Strauss – performed live by the Chicago Philharmonic – and featuring colorful costumes and jubilant sets by pop-surrealist artist Mark Ryden, Whipped Cream is “a candyland triumph” (The New York Times) fit for the whole family!

THE NIB FOUNDATION – International Dance Sponsor

JOYCE CHELBERG – Live Music Sponsor

MORGAN STANLEY – Performance Sponsor

HELEN HALL MELCHIOR – Performance Sponsor

CIBC – Student Matinee Sponsor

THE ROBERT THOMAS BOBINS FOUNDATION – Student Matinee Sponsor

Individual tickets start at $44 and are available by phone at 312.341.2300 or online here. Discounted tickets for groups of 10+ people are also available. American Ballet Theatre is part of the International Dance Series subscription package, which is available by phone at 312.341.2300 or online here.

THE JOFFREY BALLET – ACROSS THE POND | April 24-May 5

World Premiere
Choreographer: Andrew McNicol
Music: TBD

Andrew McNicol (“An impressive young choreographer, musical and fully engaged.” —Dance Tabs), winner of the Kenneth MacMillan Choreographic Competition, creates a world premiere for the Joffrey’s spring program. Described as a “rapidly rising star in the world of ballet …” (BBC News), McNicol draws on his prodigious musicality to inform a style that has quickly earned him recognition across Europe and around the globe. Learn more about McNicol here.

Vespertine
Choreographer: Liam Scarlett
Music: Arcangelo Corelli

The Royal Ballet Artist in Residence Liam Scarlett brings his impressive body of work to the Joffrey for the first time. In Vespertine, Scarlett takes inspiration from the spellbinding music of the Baroque period. Created for the Norwegian National Ballet in 2013, this abstract ballet evokes classicism and athleticism all in one, set amidst a scenic display of custom chandeliers. Learn more about Scarlett here.

JOFFREY PREMIERE

World Premiere
Choreographer: Andrea Walker
Music: TBD

Andrea Walker, Founder and Artistic Director of London’s cutting-edge 201 Dance Company, brings his striking sensibility state-side with a new work created exclusively for The Joffrey Ballet. Walker, known for his work with international sensations Coldplay and Lady Gaga, takes dance-theater to a new level by bending genres and shining light on the politics of today. Walker’s world premiere marks his first collaboration with the Joffrey. Learn more about Walker here.

Individual tickets start at $35 and are available by phone at 312.341.2300 or online here.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC LIVE – POINT OF NO RETURN | May 7

In the final installment of the 2018-19 National Geographic Live Series, hear the harrowing story of the National Geographic team’s climb to the summit of Burma’s Hkakabo Razi mountain. The team knew the journey would be hard, but what they didn’t realize was that their greatest obstacles wouldn’t be dwindling rations, grueling jungle hikes, or life-threatening hypothermia — it was the force of conflicting personalities that threatened to unravel the entire endeavor. Group leader Hilaree Nelson, the first woman to summit Mt. Everest and its neighboring mountain Lhotse in a single 24-hour period, recounts the tough decisions she had to make to keep her team together, accompanied by photographer Cory Richards’ dramatic stills and clips from Renan Ozturk’s searing documentary Down to Nothing.

ELIZABETH YNTEMA & MARK FERGUSON – Series Sponsors (Chicago, IL)

Event Information
Tuesday, May 7 | 7PM

Individual tickets start at $42 and are available by phone at 312.341.2300 or online here. Discounted tickets for groups of 10+ people are also available. “Point of No Return” is part of the National Geographic Live Series subscription package, which is available by phone at 312.341.2300 or online here.

EIFMAN BALLET OF ST. PETERSBURG – THE PYGMALION EFFECT | May 17-19

Russia’s most innovative dance company returns to the Auditorium Theatre following the triumph of 2017’s Red Giselle, named one of the best dance performances of the year by the Chicago Tribune. The company gives the North American premiere to Boris Eifman’s The Pygmalion Effect, a new re-envisioning of the classic Greek myth. Set to music by Johann Strauss, Eifman’s ballet follows a passionate ballroom dancer who crafts a young woman into a brilliant dancer. Eifman — known for his “Russian psychological ballet theatre” and choreography that is “big on tumultuous narrative and passionately seething characters” (Los Angeles Times) — and his dancers have been called “among the most fascinating artists before the public today” (San Francisco Chronicle).

THE NIB FOUNDATION – International Dance Sponsor

DENISE LITTLEFIELD SOBEL – Presenting Sponsor

Event Information
Friday, May 17 | 7:30PM
Saturday, May 18 | 7:30PM
Sunday, May 19 | 2PM

Individual tickets start at $34 and are available by phone at 312.341.2300 or online here. Discounted tickets for groups of 10+ people are also available. Eifman Ballet of St. Petersburg is part of the International Dance Series subscription package, which is available by phone at 312.341.2300 or online here.

About The Auditorium Theatre

The Auditorium Theatre, located at 50 E Ida B Wells Dr at Roosevelt University in Chicago, is an Illinois, not-for-profit organization committed to presenting the finest in international, cultural, community, and educational programming to all of Chicago and beyond as The Theatre for the People. The organization is also committed to the continued restoration and preservation of the National Historic Landmark.

The Auditorium Theatre 2018-19 Season is made possible in part with support from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Illinois Arts Council, The Chicago Community Trust, and the Palmer House Hilton. Michigan Avenue Magazine is the official magazine sponsor. For more information about programming, volunteer, and donor opportunities or theatre tours, please call 312.341.2310 or visit AuditoriumTheatre.org. For a complete listing of events at the Auditorium Theatre, please click here.

Auditorium Theatre, photo by Tatyana Perreault. | Too Hot to Handel, photo by Kristie Kahns. | Mireya Mayor, photo by Martin Harvey. | Trinity Irish Dance Company, photo by Lois Greenfield. | Malpaso Dance Company, photo by Nir Arieli. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, photo by Paul Kolnik. | Alan Menken, photo courtesy of CAMI. | American Ballet Theatre’s Sarah Lane and Daniil Simkin, photo by Gene Schiavone. | Hilaree Nelson, photo by Brett Schreckengost. | Eifman Ballet of St. Petersburg, photo by Evgeny Matveev.