The Joffrey Ballet Opens 2024-2025 Season with Cathy Marston's Highly Anticipated 'Atonement'

Marston’s Atonement is the first-ever stage adaptation of Ian McEwan’s best-selling book 

(September 5, 2024 – CHICAGO) The Joffrey Ballet boldly opens its 2024-25 season with the highly anticipated North American premiere of Cathy Marston’s poignant interpretation of Ian McEwan’s 2001 novel-turned-Academy Award®-winning film Atonement. The full-length narrative ballet follows Briony Tallis, revealed in the book as its author and now portrayed as a celebrated choreographer, as she grapples with the haunting echoes of her past through a breathtaking dance of redemption. The first-ever stage adaptation of McEwan’s best-selling book, Atonement will be presented at the historic Lyric Opera House, 20 North Upper Wacker Drive in downtown Chicago, in ten performances only, from October 17–27, 2024.  

This production received its World Premiere in April 2024 by Ballett Zürich, the company in which Marston serves as Ballet Director and Chief Choreographer. 

"When Cathy approached me with her vision to create the first-ever stage adaptation of Atonement, we agreed that this would be an unforgettable narrative to experience through the lens of dance and that the Joffrey would be the perfect match for its North American debut," said The Mary B. Galvin Artistic Director Ashley Wheater MBE. "Playing to the strengths of our Company Artists to convey complicated characters, such as the story's protagonist Briony, Atonement sets the stage for a commanding season ahead, encouraging Chicago audiences to see themselves in ever more complex ways."  

"Opening our 69th season with the North American premiere of Marston's Atonement reflects the Joffrey's avant-garde approach to sharing ambitious, bold narratives," added Acting CEO & 
Deputy Director and Chief Financial Officer Shari Massey. "This production marks the second time the Company has mounted a full-length ballet with an original score. New works are essential for the evolution of our art form, and with Cathy and Ashley at the forefront, I couldn't be more excited for Chicago to witness what's in store.” 

Marston’s adaptation unfolds the tragic love story of Briony’s older sister, Cecilia, against the historical backdrop of 1935 England to explore the intricate layers of societal norms and the enduring impact of a single lie. Enveloped in Laura Rossi’s evocative musical score, with dynamic choreography portraying the complexities of self-deception, the transformation of memory, and the weight of guilt, Atonement shares an emotionally charged experience with a startling twist finale that will linger in the soul. 

A production in two acts, Atonement features a creative team with costumes by Bregje van Balen (former dancer with Nederlands Dance Theatre), stage design by Michael Levine, and lighting by Martin Gebhardt. 

Marston has received worldwide critical praise for her compelling and elegant narrative-driven ballets that both brilliantly capture and thoughtfully adapt some of the most influential novels in recent history. Atonement will be the fifth work by Marston that The Joffrey Ballet has performed; past productions include Jane Eyre in 2019, Of Mice and Men and Heimat in 2022, and the dance film Bertha in 2021.   

Atonement is a co-production with Ballett Zürich and features live music performed by the Lyric Opera Orchestra, conducted by Scott Speck, Music Director of The Joffrey Ballet. 

With gratitude to Atonement Commissioning Sponsors: Producing Sponsors Anne L. Kaplan and Denise Littlefield Sobel; Presenting Sponsors Lorna Ferguson and Terry Clark, Rudolf Nureyev Fund at The Joffrey Ballet, Mr. and Mrs. Joel V. Williamson; and Production Sponsors Holly Palmer Foundation, Max Mara, and Jon and Eleanor DeMoss. 

The 2024-25 Joffrey Ballet season continues with the return of Christopher Wheeldon's The Nutcracker, December 6–28, 2024, followed by Golden Hour, February 20–March 2, 2025, with original work by Dani Rowe and Yuri Possokhov, accompanied by pieces from frequent Joffrey collaborators Nicolas Blanc and Cathy Marston. Closing out the season is a not-to-be-missed highlight of the year—plunge down the rabbit hole into the fantastical world of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, where two-time Tony Award®-winner Christopher Wheeldon brings Lewis Carroll’s fantastical world to life with instantly recognizable characters such as the high-strung Queen of Hearts, the entrancing Caterpillar, and the tap-dancing Mad Hatter, June 5–15, 2025. 

Tickets and Schedule 

The Joffrey Ballet presents Cathy Marston’s Atonement Thursday, October 17–Sunday, October 27, 2024; the full performance schedule is as follows: Thursday, October 17 at 7:30PM; Friday, October 18 at 7:30PM; Saturday, October 19 at 2:00PM and 7:30PM; Sunday, October 20 at 2:00PM; Thursday, October 24 at 7:30PM; Friday, October 25 at 7:30PM; Saturday, October 26 at 2:00PM and 7:30PM; and Sunday, October 27 at 2:00PM. 

Single tickets start at $36 and are available for purchase at Lyric Opera Box Office located at  

20 N. Upper Wacker Dr. and by telephone at 312.386.8905, or online at joffrey.org.