Displaying items by tag: Mike Fitelson

Broadway In Chicago is thrilled to welcome trailblazing hip hop artist and Chicago legend Da Brat as special guest host and MC at THE HIP HOP NUTCRACKER, playing at Broadway In Chicago’s Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 W. Randolph St.) Individual tickets are on sale now. Ticket prices range from $39 to $120 with a select number of premium seats available and may be purchased at www.BroadwayInChicago.com. Additional fees apply for online purchases. Group sales of 10+ are available now by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or calling (312) 977-1710. See below for more ticket information and the performance schedule.

Featuring an all-star cast of dancers, an on-stage DJ, and an electric violinist, the family-friendly holiday spectacle brings a modern twist to Tchaikovsky's 130-year-old ballet and has thrilled audiences through more than 250 performances in over 70 cities.

Da Brat brings her groundbreaking history to the show. Born and raised in Chicago, she attended Kenwood Academy and The Academy Of Scholastic Achievement where she played seven different instruments in band. Her 1994 debut album, Funkdafied, entered the rap albums chart at number one and went platinum, making her the first female solo rapper to sell one million units. Her career has spanned music, television, radio and stage, with collaborations and performances alongside artists including Jermaine Dupri, Mariah Carey, Missy Elliott, Jay-Z, Aaliyah and The Notorious B.I.G. "I'm so excited to step into THE HIP HOP NUTCRACKER for the first time and bring my own energy to such a creative celebration of hip hop and the holidays," says Da Brat. "The show has so much movement, personality, and spirit, and I can't wait to experience it with audiences in Chicago."

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 four-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 20 Tony Awards. The remixed and reimagined 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.

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 continued to evolve through the creators' commitment to enhancing the show and a cast of dancers and breakers who raise the bar each year.

For tour dates and more information, visit www.hiphopnutcracker.com. For the latest news and updates follow THE HIP HOP NUTCRACKER on Facebook and Instagram; #HipHopNutcracker.

TICKET INFORMATION (as of 9/16/26, based on availability and subject to change)
Individual tickets range from $39.00 to $120.00 and may be purchased at www.BroadwayInChicago.com or any Broadway In Chicago box office. A select number of premium seats are available. Additional fees apply for online purchases. For groups of 10 or more, email Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call (312) 977-1710. Patrons can participate in a Digital Lottery for a chance to purchase $30 tickets for each performance. In addition to the lottery, a limited number of $49 rush tickets will be offered for each performance—available only in person at the box office on the day of the show. Click here for more information on Digital Lottery and In-Person Rush or visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

ABOUT EVA PRICE (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER)
Eva Price is an NYCLU/ACLU honoree and Tony and Olivier Award-winning producer. Select Broadway credits include & Juliet, Titaníque, Liberation, Redwood, Jagged Little Pill, Oklahoma!, What the Constitution Means to Me, Dear Evan Hansen, and Peter & The Starcatcher. Off-Broadway, touring, and international credits include Titaníque (NYC, London, Canada, Australia, Paris), The Hip Hop Nutcracker, Shit. Meet. Fan., Mindplay, and Cruel Intentions: The '90s Musical.

ABOUT JENNIFER WEBER (DIRECTOR/CHOREOGRAPHER)
Jennifer Weber's Broadway, West End, and international credits include & Juliet, 13 Going on 30, KPOP, Grease: The Immersive Movie Musical, and Kane and Abel. Additional credits include Take the Lead, American Idiot, Bring It On!, Teenage Dick, and Cruel Intentions. Film and television credits include Disney's Zombies 2 and the Emmy Award-winning While You Were Gone. Weber also co-created, directed, and choreographed the annual international holiday touring phenomenon The Hip Hop Nutcracker, and executive produced and co-choreographed The Hip Hop Nutcracker television special for Disney +.

ABOUT MIKE FITELSON (WRITER/CO-CREATOR)
Mike Fitelson is the CEO of the United Palace, the 96-year-old Wonder Theatre in Washington Heights, Manhattan’s 4^th  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 24 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 MAXIMUM ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTIONS (MEP)
MEP (General Management) is a producing and management company founded by Avram Freedberg, Mary Beth Dale, Eva Price, and joined by Director of Operations Brent McCreary in 2024 and COO Michael Page in 2026. Select general management credits include Titaníque, Small Mouth Sounds, Cruel Intentions: The ‘90s Musical, The Lion, The Hip Hop Nutcracker, and Colin Quinn: Long Story Short. maximumcompany.com

ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO
Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 26 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™.
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