2011 Nutcracker Awards Nominees Announced!

Goldstar – the popular membership-based web retailer of half-price live-entertainment tickets-announced the nominees for the 5th annuAl Goldstar National Nutcracker Award today.

This season, more than 50 Nutcrackers will compete to win the 'Nutty Award' and the title of "best loved Nutcracker" in the nation. The list of nominees encompasses a wide variety of shows taking place in cities across the U.S., from Atlanta to Boston and Chicago, from New York to Los Angeles, from Washington state to Washington, DC and points in between.

Performance styles of nominees run the gamut from traditional presentations, such as the Joffrey Ballet at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion or Pacific Northwest Ballet's at McCaw Hall and to new interpretations of the classic like Le Casse-Noix Moderne or The Nutcracker Swings: A Twist on the Classic Holiday Ballet Set in Los Angeles During WWII.

The winner will be announced on Wednesday, December 21st.

The Goldstar National Nutcracker Award, which made its debut in 2007, is awarded to the The Nutcracker with the best member reviews and event rating. To assure the authenticity of the ratings, members are only able to submit reviews and vote on their favorite Nutcracker after they have purchased tickets and seen the show.

In addition to the Nutty, the winner will also be given a $2,500 cash prize to be used toward their education programs.

"Today, it's amazing how many Nutcracker performances there are in the U.S.-shows feature everything from puppets and horses to jazz bands and gypsies," said Jim McCarthy, CEO of Goldstar. "With the Nutty Award, we want to encourage people to go see all the different shows their city has to offer, while also adding an element of hometown competition to what has been an American holiday tradition for the last 60 years."

Previous Goldstar National Nutcracker Award winners include:

· 2007- The House Theater of Chicago's The Nutcracker at the Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago

· 2008- The Kirov Ballet's The Nutcracker at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, LA

· 2009- Boston Ballet's The Nutcracker at the Boston Opera House, Boston

· 2010- Debbie Allen Presents The Hot Chocolate Nutcracker, UCLA, LA

For more information on the 2011 Goldstar National Nutcracker Award go to http://www.goldstar.com/series/nutty2011

The Nominees for the 2011 Goldstar National Nutcracker Award are:

ATLANTA
· Atlanta Ballet's Nutcracker at The Fox Theatre

· Gwinnett Ballet Theatre's The Nutcracker at Gwinnett Center

· Georgia Dance Theatre's The Nutcracker Ballet at McIntosh Auditorium

· Georgia Metropolitan Dance Theatre, The Nutcracker

BOSTON
· BalletRox's Urban Nutcracker at Wheelock Family Theatre

· House Theatre of Chicago's The Nutcracker at Stoneham Theatre

· Dance Prism's The Nutcracker at Collins Center for the Performing Arts

· Youth Ballet Company of Ballet Arts Worcester, The Nutcracker

CHICAGO
· The House Theatre of Chicago's The Nutcracker at Chopin Theatre Mainstage

· The Noble Horse Theatre's The Nutcracker at Noble Horse Theatre

· Kenneth Von Heidecke's The Nutcracker at McAninch Arts Center

· Joffrey Ballet's The Nutcracker at Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University

· Schaumburg Dance Ensemble's The Nutcracke at Prairie Center for the Arts