Goldstar Announces 2014 National Nutcracker Award Nominees

Goldstar (www.goldstar.com) announces today the nominees for the 8th Annual Goldstar National Nutcracker Award, the only award honoring live performances of the holiday classic.

More than 70 nominees across the country -- ranging from traditional dance productions to the more abstract, and all variations in between -- are vying for this year's "Nutty" statue. The winner is determined by Goldstar members who rate Nutcracker-themed productions they attend in the 2014 season. Recipients of the Award receive "The Nutty" statuette, a cash prize to go towards the company's education programs and the honor of being declared 'the best loved Nutcracker in the U.S.'

Previous winners include: Debbie Allen Dance Academy's, The Hot Chocolate Nutcracker in 2013 and 2010; The Joffrey Ballet's The Nutcracker in 2011 and 2012; Boston Ballet's The Nutcracker in 2009; The Kirov Ballet's The Nutcracker in 2008 and The House Theater of Chicago's The Nutcracker in 2007.

And, the 2014 Goldstar National Nutcracker Award Nominees are:

ARIZONA

Ballet Arizona's The Nutcracker at Phoenix Symphony Hall

CALIFORNIA

Inland Empire -

BRAVA's David Allan's Nutcracker at Landis Performing Arts Center

Inland Pacific Ballet's The Nutcracker at Fox Performing Arts Center

The Fine Arts Network/Ballet Studio's The Nutcracker at Old Town Temecula Community Theater

Los Angeles -

Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker at The Wiltern

City Ballet of Los Angeles' The Nutcracker Swings at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre

Debbie Allen Dance Academy's The Hot Chocolate Nutcracker at UCLA's Royce Hall

Inland Pacific Ballet's The Nutcracker at Bridges Auditorium

LA Unbound's The Nutcracker Unbound at El Portal Theatre

Long Beach Ballet's The Nutcracker at Long Beach Performing Arts Center

Marat Daukayev Ballet Theatre's The Nutcracker at Luckman Fine Arts Complex

Pasadena Dance Theatre's The Nutcracker at San Gabriel Mission Playhouse

South Bay Ballet's The Nutcracker at El Camino College Center for the Arts

The Red Chair Children's Production Company's The Nutcracker at the Alex Theatre

Oakland-

Alameda Civic Ballet's The Nutcracker at the Kofman Theatre

Berkeley Ballet Theater's The Nutcracker at the Julia Morgan Center for the Arts

Oakland Ballet's The Nutcracker at the Paramount Theatre

Orange County -

Anaheim Ballet's The Nutcracker at City National Grove of Anaheim

Ballet Etudes' The Nutcracker at Huntington Beach High School Historic Auditorium

Coast City Ballet's The Nutcracker at Huntington Beach Historical Theater

Festival Ballet Theatre's The Nutcracker at Irvine Barclay Theatre

Orange County Ballet Theater's The Nutcracker at Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens

Sunrise Ballet's The Nutcracker at Servite Theatre

Tustin Dance Center's The Nutcracker at the Alexandra Nechita Center for the Performing Arts

San Diego -

Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker at Jacobs Music Center

California Ballet Company's The Nutcracker at San Diego Civic Theatre

City Ballet of San Diego's The Nutcracker at Spreckels Theatre

San Diego Ballet's The Nutcracker at Jacobs Music Center

San Francisco -

Guggenheim Entertainment's The MeshugaNutcracker! at Marines' Memorial Theatre

San Francisco Ballet's Nutcracker at War Memorial Opera House

San Francisco Youth Ballet Theatre's The Nutcracker at Mercy High School Theatre

San Jose

Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker at Flint Center for Performing Arts

Ballet San Jose's The Nutcracker at San Jose Center for the Performing Arts

Guggenheim Entertainment's The MeshugaNutcracker! at Campbell Heritage Theatre

San Jose Youth Ballet's The Nutcracker at Mexican Heritage Plaza

COLORADO

Colorado Ballet's The Nutcracker at Ellie Caulkins Opera House

FLORIDA

Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker at The Fillmore Miami Beach

Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida's The Nutcracker at The Fillmore Miami Beach

Coral Springs Center for the Arts' The Nutcracker at Coral Springs Center for the Arts

GEORGIA

Atlanta Ballet's The Nutcracker at the Fox Theatre

Atlanta Dance Theatre's The Nutcracker -- Land of Sweets at Roswell Cultural Arts Center

Gwinnett Ballet Theatre's The Nutcracker at Gwinnett Center

Metropolitan Ballet Theatre's The Nutcracker at Blessed Trinity High School

Sugarloaf Ballet's Nutcracker Excerpts at Gwinnett Center

The Georgia Ballet's The Nutcracker at Cobb Civic Center's Jennie T. Anderson Theatre

ILLINOIS

Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker at Rosemont Theatre

Ballet Chicago's The Nutcracker at Athenaeum Theatre

Ruth Page Civic Ballet's The Nutcracker at Northeastern Illinois University Auditorium

Salt Creek Ballet's The Nutcracker at Governors State University's Center for Performing Arts/North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie

The House Theatre of Chicago's The Nutcracker at Chopin Theatre

The Joffrey Ballet's The Nutcracker at Auditorium Theatre

Von Heidecke's Chicago Festival Ballet's The Nutcracker at McAninch Arts Center

MARYLAND

Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker at Hippodrome Theatre

MASSACHUSETTS

Tony Williams' Dance Center's Urban Nutcracker at Back Bay Events Center's John Hancock Hall

MINNESOTA

Minnesota Dance Theatre's Loyce Houlton's Nutcracker Fantasy at State Theatre

NEW JERSEY

Decadancetheatre's The Hip Hop Nutcracker at New Jersey Performing Arts Center

Lustig Dance Theatre's A Jazzy Nutcracker at South Orange Performing Arts Center

New Jersey Ballet's The Nutcracker at Mayo Performing Arts Center

NEW YORK

Dances Patrelle's The Yorkville Nutcracker at The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College

Decadancetheatre's The Hip Hop Nutcracker at United Palace Theatre

Gelsey Kirkland Academy's The Nutcracker at Pace University's Michael Schimmel Center for the Arts

Joffrey Ballet School's The Nutcracker at NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts

Valentina Kozlova's Dance Conservatory's The Nutcracker at Symphony Space

OREGON

Oregon Ballet Theatre's The Nutcracker at Keller Auditorium

PENNSYLVANIA

Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker at Tower Theater

RHODE ISLAND

Festival Ballet Providence's The Nutcracker at Providence Performing Arts Center

TEXAS

The Beulaville Baptist Book Club's A Bur-Less-Q Nutcracker at Stone Cottage Theatre

WASHINGTON

Cornerstone Studio's The Nutcracker at Bellevue Performing Arts Center

Olympic Ballet Theatre's The Nutcracker at Edmonds Center for the Arts and at Everett Performing Arts Center

Pacific Northwest Ballet's Nutcracker at McCaw Hall

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker at George Mason University's Center for the Arts

Rockville Civic Ballet's The Nutcracker at F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre

The Washington Ballet's The Nutcracker at Warner Theatre

VF Dance Theater's Nutcracker in the Nutshell at American Dance Institute

Virginia Ballet Company's The Nutcracker at Ernst Cultural Center

The winner will be announced on December 22, 2014.

Goldstar makes live entertainment a part of everyday life with half-priced tickets and unparalleled site features that help members make decisions and include their friends. Five million plus Goldstar members across the country are discovering high quality entertainment where they live with offers from its 5,000+ venue partners in major U.S. cities. Goldstar membership is FREE.

More information about The Goldstar National Nutcracker Award is available at www.goldstar.com/nutcrackers. To learn more about Goldstar, visit Goldstar at www.goldstar.com.

Pictured: The Hot Chocolate Nutcracker: Debbie Allen's Modern Spin on the Holiday Classic.

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