BOSTON — The costumes are lighter and leaner to showcase new choreography, Herr Drosselmeyer has been sexied up with a silk corduroy tailcoat and shag ’do and there is a fresco of the Sun King in Act II’s Palace of Sweets.

Thanks to skillful work by designer Robert Perdziola, Boston Ballet’s new $3 million version of “Mikko Nissinen’s The Nutcracker” has brought a fresh delicacy and sophistication to the Christmas classic while preserving every ounce of the tradition.

Perdziola’s new sets and costumes, which will make their debut Friday at the Boston Opera House, demonstrate a masterful use of lush detail and a keen understanding of the drama that can be conveyed by an ascot tied a certain way. In fact Perdziola, whose credits span from The Metropolitan Opera to Hollywood, knows his way around an ascot: “Interview witha Vampire” and “The Age of Innocence” are two of his big screen credits.

“We needed to serve the goddess of dance in a new way,” says artistic director Nissinen, describing his goal of eliminating the sugary fizz of the previous production, which premiered in 1995. He asked Perdziola for a more controlled, urbane color palette and sleeker costumes to better reveal the dancers’ bodies, but insisted the final result remain recognizable to the ballet’s considerable fan base.

“When I look at all the ‘Nutcrackers’ that are taking place today, so many productions are about ‘new on new on new’ —almost at the expense of what ‘The Nutcracker’ is about,” Nissinen reflects. “We’ve tried to get back to the heart and roots of why it has survived all these years. I don’t look at this as a revolutionary version, but more like a very well-detailed and researched version.”

Read more: http://www.bostonballet.org/News/Sugar_with_Spice.html

Buy the best tickets for the Boston Ballet The Nutcracker at ClickTicket.com http://clickticket.com/performer/the-nutcracker-tickets

Be sure to enter to win the new ClickTicket raffle free iPhone 5 Competition at: http://clickticket.com/offers/click-to-win-iphone-5

Elf the Broadway Musical

In recent years it seems that before the rush and frantic Thanksgiving Holiday even ends, grocery stores all over the nation are already putting out some of their greatest Christmas Holiday deals. Typically this would bother me, as I am more of the "take it slow" kind of gal, who enjoys to bask in the every moment of each and every individual holiday. However! This gal isn't complaining this year as the Elf Musical by Broadway is out and about, keeping audiences laughing and enjoying every second of life! Elf, the Broadway Musical is one of my all time favorite Broadway productions as it tells the hilarious story of a quirky elf named Buddy. His story is rather unfortunate yet keeps us laughing from start to finish. Buddy's story begins when he discovers that he's actually a human, hence why his tall stature doesn't fit in to the "elf-size norm", and that he ended up in the North Pole many years ago when he accidentally ended up in Santa's bag of gifts. So, upon this discovery, Buddy decides he'll go back to his roots and find his long lost family- in the fast and forever growing city of New York. There he discovers that his biological father doesn't actually believe in the Christmas Spirit, thus Buddy makes it his life mission to get his family to believe. From there, Buddy's story unraveles into amazing friendships, love, and imagination. Fall in love with this incredible story of Buddy the Elf in Broadway's fantastic musical production Elf. Buy the best tickets from ClickTicket.com at: http://clickticket.com/performer/elf-tickets

Be sure to read more about the Broadway production news and information via the official website at: http://www.elfmusical.com/

American Music Awards

Thought I'd switch up the direction I usually take with my blogs for just a day. The American Music awards are coming up and I'm very excited about them as one of my all time favorite country music stars is performing. Taylor Swift, I think, is one of the greatest country music starlets in the world. I love her catchy songs, her style, her beauty- just about everything about her. Its amazing because there sure is a lot of talent out there these days- talent that either makes it or breaks it, and I believe the young Taylor Swift did both- in the good way. I just love her American Sweetheart ways and her lyrics are touching and speak wonders to the listner. She's a small town, grew up on a Christmas tree farm kind of gal which I totally dig about her.

Here's a little sneak peak of some of Taylor's greatest hits of all time with complementary YouTube music videos:
1. "You Belong With Me" 2009- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuNIsY6JdUw
2. "Love Story" 2008- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xg3vE8Ie_E
3. "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" 2012- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WA4iX5D9Z64
4. "Teardrops Of My Guitar" 2007- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKCek6_dB0M
5. "Back to December" 2010- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUwxKWT6m7U
6. "Our Song" 2007- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jb2stN7kH28
7. "Eyes Open" 2012- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hsVICl7d8k
8. "Tim McGraw" 2006- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkD20ajVxnY

Check out this blond hair, blue eyes starlet via her official website at: http://taylorswift.com/

Be sure to make it to the American Music Awards with the best tickets for the best prices via ClickTicket.com at: http://clickticket.com/performer/american-music-awards-tickets

Make your vote count and vote for your favorite artist via the ABC official website for the American Music Awards at: http://beta.abc.go.com/shows/american-music-awards

Annie the musical

What!? I cannot believe they're finally bringing this musical back to life. I grew up loving the you know what out of Annie as a child. That movie made us all want to be orphans- in a way- well, maybe not really, but the part where a rich family adopts her was the sweetest part. She finally had a family, left the orphanage and became a classly little girl. What a wonderful tale. Now! Miraculously, this beautiful story comes to life on the mainstage and you bet your bottom dollar I cannot wait to check it out live!

Here's a dedication to you all who loved Annie just as much as I. Watch the YouTube clip and sing along with the lyrics I posted below: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0bOH8ABpco

"It's a hard knock life" Annie 1982 Lyrics:

[ORPHANS]
It's the hard-knock life for us!
It's the hard-knock life for us!

[ANNIE]
'Steada treated, 

[ORPHANS]
We get tricked! 

[ANNIE]
'Steada kisses, 

[ORPHANS]
We get kicked! 

[ALL]
It's the hard-knock life!
Got no folks to speak of, so, 
It's the hard-knock row we how! 

[ANNIE]
Cotton blankets, 

[ORPHANS]
'Steada of wool! 

[ANNIE]
Empty Bellies 

[ORPHANS]
'Steada of full! 

[ALL]
It's the hard-knock life! 

[ANNIE]
Don't if feel like the wind is always howl'n? 

[KATE AND TESSIE]
Don't it seem like there's never any light! 

[DUFFY AND JULY]
Once a day, don't you wanna throw the towel in?

[MOLLY AND PEPPER]
It's easier than puttin' up a fight.

[ANNIE]
No one's there when your dreams at night get creepy! 
No one cares if you grow...of if you shrink!
No one dries when your eyes get wet an' weepy! 

[ALL]
From all the cryin' you would think this place's a sink! 
Ohhhh!!!!!!!
Empty belly life! 
Rotten smelly life! 
Full of sorrow life! 
No tomorrow life! 

[MOLLY]
Santa Claus we never see

[ANNIE]
Santa Claus, what's that? 
Who's he?

[ALL]
No one cares for you a smidge
When you're in an orphanage! 

[MOLLY]
(Making a whistling sound and imitating Miss. Hannigan) 
You'll stay up till this dump shines 
like the top of the Chrysler Building. 

[ORPHANS]
Yank the whiskers from her chin
Jab her with a safety Pin 
Make her drink a mickey finn
I love you, Miss Hannigan

[MOLLY]
(whistle) Get to work! 
(whistle) Strip them beds! 
(whistle) I said get to work! 

[ALL]
It's the hard-knock life for us
It's the hard-knock life for us 
No one cares for you a smidge
When your in an orphanage 
It's the hard-knock life
It's the hard-knock life
It's the hard-knock life!

Here's another dedication to all of your Annie musical fans. 

Of course you can't forget the famous "Tomorrow" song.

Click this YouTube link and sing along with me! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yop62wQH498 

Enjoy the lyrics below: 

[ANNIE]
The sun'll come out 
Tomorrow
Bet your bottom dollar 
That tomorrow 
There'll be sun! 

Just thinkin' about
Tomorrow 
Clears away the cobwebs, 
And the sorrow 
'Til there's none! 

When I'm stuck a day 
That's gray, 
And lonely, 
I just stick out my chin 
And Grin, 
And Say, 
Oh! 

The sun'll come out
Tomorrow 
So ya gotta hang on 
'Til tomorrow 
Come what may 
Tomorrow! Tomorrow!
I love ya Tomorrow! 
You're always
A day
A way! 

Enjoy the rest of Annie Musical songs via this free lyric website at: http://www.stlyrics.com/a/annie.htm

Enjoy the Annie Musical front row and center with the best tickets from ClickTicket.com at: 

http://clickticket.com/performer/annie-tickets

Follow this traveling show wherever they go via their official website at: 

http://www.anniethemusical.com/