The classic Christmas ballet The Nutcracker gets a modern twist at CarraigeWorks this week.

The contemporary reworking combines the color and fun of the traditional Tchaikovsky production with some of the darkness and quirky appeal of the original fairytale. The classical music has been reinterepreted by local singer/songwriter Jess Maynard. Her breezy acoustic guitar soundtrack provides the backdrop to Luke Butler’s shadow puppet performance.

The Nutcracker is playing at a family-friendly price on Friday and Saturday. What better way to get the kids into the Christmas spirit before Santa arrives!

Dates: Friday 19 and Saturday 20 December
Times: 7 pm both days and 2 pm on Saturday
Location: CarriageWorks
Address: 245 Wilson Street
Public transport: CarriageWorks is an eight-minute walk from Redfern train station
Parking: Limited parking on site. Enter at 229 Wilson Street, opposite Queen Street
Cost: Adults $25, and concession $18. Call 1300 723 038 to book
Website: http://www.carriageworks.com.au/whats_on.php?event=thenutcracker

Image source: Piotr Bizior @ Stock.xchng

Post from: The Sydney Traveler

The locals know the Sydney Opera House isn’t just for the grown-ups. This wonderful venue has just announced their new Kids at the House program, guaranteed to entertain little ones through 2009.

The wonderful Babies Proms is always a highlight. In 2009 the program features the world’s most loved lullabies, African rhythms, and the beauty of ballet. Then there are performances of some favourite stories like The Little Mermaid, Jason and the Argonauts, and Romeo and Juliet. Big mouths will love The Megaphone Project, while everyone is guaranteed to be shocked by Surprise.

Tickets to all shows are available from the Sydney Opera House from December 10. Until then, here’s the full 2009 program to consider!

9-18 January – The Megaphone Project
11-16 February – Babies Proms: Sweet Dreams
21 April – 3 May – Pigs, Bears and Billy Goats Gruff
2 & 3 May – The Little Mermaid
6 June – Jason and the Argonauts
17-28 June – Babies Proms: Music for Tutus
27 June – The Tragical Life of Cheeseboy
4 & 5 July – Surprise
11-18 July – The Queen of Colours
8 August – Romeo and Juliet
15 August – Hamlet
15-23 August – Babies Proms: Music Book 09
11 & 13 September – Little Big Shots ‘09
19-27 September – Babies Proms: The Royal Seed
13-24 October – Parachutists or on the art of falling
25 November – 6 December – Babies Proms: Afro Beats
12-20 December – Darlingwood Tales

Image source: Wilf2 @ Flickr

Post from: The Sydney Traveler

I must admit, before I discovered the Red Bull BC One competition was coming to town I had idea what b-boying was. Yet this exciting art has been around since the seventies!

So what is it? B-Boying is a unique performance art which combines gravity-defying freezes and intricate moves. The world’s top b-boyers bring skills in dancing, gymnastics, and martial arts to this amazing sport.

To spread the word about the Red Bull BC One competition, seven of the world’s top b-boyers are visiting Australia for an exhibition tour. They touch down in Sydney tonight for two very special shows. You’ve probably never heard of Brazil’s Pelezinho, Hong 10 from Korea, or Roxrite from the United States, but once you’ve seen them in action you won’t forget them.

Date: Thursday 28 August
Time: 10 pm
Location: Tank
Address: 3 Bridge Lane, Sydney
Date: Saturday 30 August
Time: 11 pm
Location: Selinas
Address: Coogee Bay Road, Coogee
Cost: Free
Website: http://www.redbull.com.au/

Image source: Scott Williams @ Flickr 

Post from: The Sydney Traveler

So I was interested to see an article in today’s Sydney Morning Herald offering up the best places for cheap entertainment.

These places might not cost you nothing, but they’re so affordable they’re pretty close to it!

Here are the great bargains the paper found.

• Sydney Opera House on a Shoestring is a fantastic page put together by the Sydney Opera House. It tells you all about the shows costing you less than $50, including talks, plays, musical performances, and more. In fact, some concerts cost as little as $9! The page is arranged into price brackets so you can easily find something to suit your budget.
• Most cinemas around the city offer cheap movies on Tuesdays. If you want to save on flicks any night of the week it’s also worth buying a $15 Club Dendy card, which entitles you to $9.50 movie tickets at Opera Quays. The savings ensure it’ll pay for itself very quickly!
• Tuesday is also pay-what-you-want night for all B Sharp shows at Belvoir St Downstairs. You can buy these tickets an hour before the curtain goes up from $10 a ticket. It’s the same deal at The Griffin Theatre Company on Mondays, although their pay-what-you-want tickets start from $5.
• The Sydney Morning Herald’s Metro section has a “freebies and cheapies” column every Friday. This will tip you off to some of the best affordable pub entertainment around.

So there’s no excuse for just sitting around this weekend, is there?

Image source: Stephanie Berghaeuser @ Stock.xchng

Post from: The Sydney Traveler

Dralion combines ancient Chinese circus traditions and the extravagance synonymous with the Cirque du Soleil name. The program’s name comes from the show’s two main symbols: the dragon, symbolic of the East, and the lion, representing the West. The show also pays tribute to the elements of air, water, fire, and earth.

If you’ve never seen a Cirque du Soleil production, you’re in for a treat. The television broadcasts do not do the grandeur of these productions justice. The acrobatics, the music, and the performance are like nothing you’ve ever witnessed.

Dralion is sure to delight members of the whole family. It plays in Sydney until the end of September before visiting Canberra, Brisbane, Perth, and Melbourne.

Dates: To September 28
Times: Performances at 4 pm and 8 pm
Location: Under the Grand Chapiteau, The Entertainment Quarter
Address: 122 Lang Road, Moore Park
Public transport: Catch the #339, #372, #374, #376, #391, #93, or #395 bus from Central station, or get off the Bondi Explorer at stop 16
Parking: On site parking is free for the first two hours, and costs a maximum of $20 for the day
Cost: Tickets range from $35 to $270
Website: http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/CirqueDuSoleil/en/showstickets/dralion/intro/intro.htm

Image source: Cirque du Soleil press room

Post from: The Sydney Traveler

El’Circo is an exciting Sydney restaurant which puts the E in entertainment. Every Sunday night guests can enjoy a lavish nine-course menu with a side order of circus acts.

This exotic event is held inside Sydney’s Slide bar and nightclub. The club’s general manager Marc Kuzma wanted to create a European style venue that was more than a bar or a nightclub. He wanted his patrons to experience a whole new level of entertainment. And I think he’s succeeded!

El’Circo has been described as “the darker side of Cirque Du Soleil,” and this description seems quite apt. Verushka is your MC, a charming host who combines comedy and cabaret in her uniquely kooky way.

Dishes like Moroccan lamb pie, double baked three cheese soufflé, and virtual truffled mushroom risotto are to die for, and will go down a little easier with the exciting array of acts.

For a unique night out, El’Circo is not to be missed.

Trading hours: Open for dinner on Sundays
Location: Slide Lounge
Address: 41 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst
Public transport: Several buses travel down Oxford Street, including the #380 bus between Circular Quay and Bondi Beach and the #378 bus between Railway Square and Bronte.
Parking: Limited metered street parking is available in the nearby side streets
Cost: $90 per person
Website: http://www.slide.com.au

Image source: Jack Horst @ Stock.xchng 

Post from: The Sydney Traveler

It stars three bored travellers who are sitting in an isolated hut in the middle of the forest. As the night wears on they amuse themselves with the creepiest stories they know. But what do they do when the line between fantasy and reality blurs?

This entertaining production explores the imagination and our fear of the unknown, and it will have kids on the edge of their seats! Because of that it’s not recommended for the littlest children, but it’s a winner for brave kids eight years and up.

Dates: July 17, 18, 19, 26, and 27
Times: Shows available at 11 am and 1:30 pm,
Location: Sydney Opera House Playhouse
Address: Bennelong Point, Sydney
Public transport: Catch a bus, ferry, or train to Circular Quay, then walk five minutes to the Opera House
Parking: Paid parking is available on site
Cost: $26 all tickets
Website: http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com

Image source: Zeth Lorenzo @ Stock.xchng 

Post from: The Sydney Traveler

Thanks to popular programs like So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing with the Stars, dancing is hot stuff right now. And you can put your best foot forward at the Groove Dance Expo this weekend.

If you love to dance, or want to, the grooviest expo in town is for you.

There’s plenty to see, including free dance shows on the StageGear stage and stacks of stalls showcasing costumes, shoes, make-up, dance mags, health and nutrition, dance schools, and more.

If you want to get involved, sign up for one of the free dance classes or competitions. You can learn jazz, hip hop, or tap, or do your own thing at the I Know I Can Dance competition. The events are happening all day and they’ll be stacks of fun.

The Groove Dance Expo shakes up Sydney Olympic Park this Saturday and Sunday.

Dates: 12 and 13 July
Times: 10 am to 6 pm
Location: Sports Centre
Address: Sydney Olympic Park, Homebush
Public transport: Take a train to Sydney Olympic Park station
Parking: Park in the P3 or P4 car parks at Sydney Olympic Park
Cost: Tickets cost $15 for adults and $12 for kids and pensioners, and $50 for families
Website: http://www.groovedanceexpo.com

Image Source: Barun Patro @ Stock.xchng

Post from: The Sydney Traveler

The classic children’s story Peter and the Wolf has been given an Aussie makeover in Peta and the Croc. This fun musical is sure to be a big hit with little ones these school holidays.

In it the strong willed Peta heads out in the Outback bush to catch the legendary Croc. Along the way she meets some new friends – the Budgie, the Dingo, the Brolga, and the Stockmen – who join her on her journey.

The show draws heavily on indigenous history and mythology. The performance features local indigenous dancers and didgeridoo musicians, giving it an authentic Aboriginal flavour.

Peta and the Croc is performed by Sydney West Dance Company at the Blacktown Arts Centre.

Dates: 9 July to 12 July
Times: 11 am on 9, 10, and 11 July, and 3 pm on 11 and 12 July
Location: Blacktown Arts Centre
Address: 78 Flushcombe Road, Blacktown
Public transport: Catch a train to Blacktown station. The Arts Centre is less than five minutes walk away
Parking: On street parking is available around the Arts Centre
Cost: $20 per person, or $70 for a family ticket through Ticketek
Website: http://www.artscentre.blacktown.nsw.gov.au/

Image source: Elvis Santana @ Stock.xchng

Post from: The Sydney Traveler

“To have Anthony in Sydney reclaiming the role he made his own is one of theatre’s magic events,” said producer John Frost, of the Gordon/Frost Organisation. “Anthony has been honoured by this country and elected a Living National Treasure. It is fitting that he introduces a new audience to this wonderful love story.”

The Phantom of the Opera tells the story of a disfigured musical genius who lives in the depths of the Paris Opera House. He becomes fascinated with a beautiful young soprano, Christine, who becomes his protégé. He falls deeply in love with her, unaware that she is in love with Raoul. This love triangle sets the scene for a dramatic turn of events.

The musical contains some of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s best loved tunes including “The Music of the Night” and “All I Ask of You.”

The new Australian production has enjoyed rave reviews and capacity crowds in Melbourne and Brisbane.

“Andrew Lloyd Webber’s masterpiece has been seen by more than 80 million people in 124 cities around the world,” said producer Tim McFarlane of The Really Useful Company Asia Pacific. “Audiences have taken it to their hearts and the production is still a truly magnificent spectacle. We are confident it will continue its incredible worldwide success in Sydney.”

Dates: Tuesdays to Sundays until 20 July 2008
Times: Tuesdays to Saturdays 8 pm, Wednesdays 1 pm, Saturdays 2 pm, and Sundays 3 pm
Location: Lyric Theatre, Star City
Address: Pirrama Road, Pyrmont
Public transport: Take the light rail from Central Station or the monorail from Darling Harbour to Star City, or the #443 from Circular Quay
Parking: Paid parking is available on site. Enter via Pirrama Road or Edward Street Cost: Adults A Reserve from $89.90, concession and B Reserve from $79.90
Website: http://www.thephantomoftheopera.com.au

Post from: The Sydney Traveler