Von Heidecke’s Chicago Festival Ballet (CFB) performs its 27^th annual production of “The Nutcracker” at the McAninch Arts Center (MAC), Saturday, Dec. 17 at 2 and 7 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 18 at 1 and 5 p.m. New Philharmonic, under the baton of Maestro Kirk Muspratt, will perform Tchaikovsky’s classic “Nutcracker” score live for this full-scale, lavish production.

This year’s production features 60 dancers from Chicago and Chicago suburbs including Aurora; Bolingbrook; Calumet City, Ind.; Channahon; Darien; Elmhurst; Harvey Homer Glen; Lemont;  Lisle, Naperville, Plainfield, Wheaton and Woodridge, and even as far as Cuba. They will be joined by guest artists in principal roles including former Joffrey Ballet company member Michael Anderson (Uncle Drosselmeyer former apprentice with Inaside Chicago Dance Patrick Ingram (Mouse King), Thodos Dance Chicago’s Brennen Renteria (Nutcracker Prince), former Bolshoi Belarus Prima ballerina and Milwaukee Ballet principal dancer Deanna Stetsura (Snow Queen, Sugar Plum Fairy and Arabian) and former Luna Negra company dancer and Momenta dancer/choreographer J.P. Tenuta (Snow King, Cavalier, and Arabian).

There will also be an opportunity to meet with Santa preceding the matinee performances