A master artist, Travalena became known throughout his field as “The Man of a Thousand Faces.” He entered Las Vegas in 1971 and has sported impressions of people from Frank Sinatra to Jack Nicholson for more than three decades.

This is yet another entertainment personality to have passed away this week. Incidentally, he made brief appearances on The Tonight Show with host Johnny Carson in the early 80s. Mr. Travalena was 66.

From a corner of the room a pianist and a conductor begin a musical score and the dancers rise. The ballet features George Balanchine’s “Prodigal Son,” Vaslav Nijinsky’s “Afternoon of Faun,” Michel Fokine’s “Le Spectre de la Rose,” and Jorma Elo’s world premiere of “Le Sacre du Printemps.”

First to perform is “Prodigal Son.” The choreography is full of acrobatic endeavors that make it exciting and thrilling to watch, because this  is a great ballet for those new to dance. Watching the dancers twirl and lift to the beat of the music felt like a montage from the recent film “Pride and Prejudice,” captivating onlookers.

Playing the male lead is Jared Redick. This will be Redick’s last performance with the Boston Ballet after dancing with the company for seven years.

We had a chance to speak with Redick, and he said that playing the part of the Prodigal Son has always been a dream.

“This role is one you wait your whole career to do. This is a gift for me, I’m going out with a bang,” he said.

For years, Redick has been up before the sun for ballet practice with the Boston Ballet and then teaching at the Ballet’s Norwell School on the South Shore.  The principal dancer says he is looking forward to having his mornings back, but don’t think that having restful mornings means that he will get lazy or out of shape. He wants to stay active and try new things like martial arts and snowboarding.

“I can finally snowboard!” he said. He doesn’t have to worry now about injuring himself on the slopes, or hurting his ankle so that he can’t dance for several months.  As Redick looks back on all the opportunities he has had in his career and the major roles he has performed, he said happily, “I have been so fortunate in my career.”

The Boston Ballet will be performing Ballets Russes to celebrate 100 years since its establishment by Russian impresario Serge Diaghilev.

“The Ballets Russes became one of the most influential ballet companies of the 20th century, presenting ground-breaking artistic collaborations among choreographers, composers, and artists,” the Boston Ballet says on its website. Among the classic works by Balanchine, Nijinsky and Fokine, resident choreographer Jorma Elo will premiere a new work, his sixth for Boston Ballet, to Igor Stravinsky’s “Le Sacre du Printemps.” The Ballets Russes will be at the Wang from May 14 to 17.

The Miracle at Naples is certainly a play to be enjoyed by all. This old, Italian-influenced play tells a more modern tale about people, young and old, understanding love.

The story is about an acting troupe that travels Italy during the Renaissance. The eldest member and founder, Don Bertolino Fortunato brings the troupe back to his home town in Naples to perform. During their stay, they realize the town is waiting for the miracle of San Gennaro, a tradition in Naples where the statue of Gennaro cries blood as a foretelling of good things to occur.

During his stay, Don Bertonlino runs into an old friend, Francescina who has seemingly peaked his fancy. Unfortunately, for Don Bertolino, however, Francescina is unwilling to settle as his Naples lady friend and make him dinner. Francescina is a strong woman who decided to stay in Naples to nanny the now-fully-grown Flaminia.

Flaminia is approaching woman-hood and is on the search for love. She notices Giancarlo, the lead actor of Don Bertonlino’s acting troupe and immediately falls in love. Meanwhile, the Rosencrantz and Guildenstern of the play, Matteo and Tristano decide to find mischief. These two are clearly the comedic relief of the story, though clearly it is not necessary, given the play in its entirety is filled with laughter and general amusement.

Matteo and Tristano were also looking for love when Don Bertonlino, as to silence them, gave them a fake love potion to help them in their travels. The so-called potion was really an alcoholic beverage, which later got the two inebriated. Intoxicated, Matteo and Tristano found themselves trying to seduce the naive and lovesick Flamenia with the help of their “potion.” Reluctantly, Flamenia drinks the potion in hopes to attract Giancarlo, but rather becomes inebriated herself. The three, drunk looked nothing short of a scene out of bad teen movie. Like students at a frat party, the three start to experiment with the potion and find themselves in an unholy situation between themselves.

While the three are romancing, Franscesina walks in to find her sweet, once-virgin, Flamenia sandwiched between two strange men. Francescina chases the boys out of her house. From outside, Don Bertolino witnesses the event. The two elders get in an argument about the situation, and such is the first half of the play. Flamenia still hasn’t won Giancarlo over, the two boys are still in a loss for love and the elders are in a spat over their “kids” being kids.

After intermission, we are rejoined with Don Bertolino outside his wagon and we’re introduced to his short, “unattractive” daughter. Piccola, nicknamed the “little one.” She proves herself to be quite the spitfire.

Lucy DeVitto gives a great performance as the tough, take-no-crap girl in the all-male comedy troupe. We learn that Piccola, who is as quick-witted as her Father, is more of the organizer of the troupe, but is also in love with Giancarlo. Giancarlo is more interested in the beautiful Flaminia, but too shy to express himself. Finally, we see Giancarlo and Flaminia by the statue of San Gennaro trying to get each other’s attention. The two meet and express their love for one another.

Meanwhile, Matteo and Tristano are still drunk and finding themselves in a playful position. The two complain about not finding love and laughing about the threesome that got broken up. Matteo and Tristano finally decide that the love potion did work, but instead of on a lady, it was on one another.

Don Bertolino and Franscesina are finally in a more relaxed state with one another and find that they are rather fond of one another.

Although everything seems nice and lovey, we find that Piccola is having Giancarlo’s baby and Tristano is not yet willing to admit to his true sexuality. Through a series of comedic events including slapstick comedy and puns, things get resolved. Giancarlo is forced to be Piccola’s husband, Flamenia finds happiness in herself (rather than a significant other), Tristano admits to his love for Matteo and Don Bertolino finally gets to eat.

This comedy is definitely one to see and enjoy. It is filled with laughter in an old setting but with a modern turn of events. People of all ages, gender and sexuality can relate to this play. I recommend it to all of you.

Boston Ballet’s The Sleeping Beauty danced its way into the hearts of a packed house Friday night. 

The opening curtain revealed vibrant costumes of red and orange.  Women of the Court and their men dressed in their best were present at the christening of the Princess Aurora. Young Fairy Godmothers contrasted the Women of the Court in cool colored costumes of blues and purples. The Godmothers each honored the infant princess with a solo dance. Some more traditional, others with flare that caused pleasant laughter throughout the theater. Their graceful flutters across the stage melted with the musical score to tell the story of a happier time.

While out of synch in places, the use of lines and beautiful choreography made this act a favorite among the audience. At the end of the prologue Fairy Carabosse, arrives and is angered that she has not been invited to the celebration. Riding on stage with the help of her four evil hobbit-like attendants in a chariot made of twisted branches, she casts a dark spell upon the young royal,  distressing everyone on stage until the beautiful Lilac Fairy comes to the rescue.

In act one the audience meets the young, graceful, and high-energy princess Aurora. Celebrating her twentieth birthday, four suitors come to court her but she dances with and dismisses them all.  When presented with a sparkling spindle from an ominously trudging hooded stranger, she leaps and twirls around the stage with excitement until she pricks her finger. At that moment the hooded stranger reveals herself as the evil Fairy Carabosse and the princess and all her guests fall into a deep sleep that will last for a hundred years until the spell is broken with a kiss from a prince. Layers of curtains fall to build a dense forest around the sleeping princess as act one ends.

The love story between Prince Florimud and princess Aurora comes to life in act two. While hunting in the forest, the prince sees the ethereal dancing princess in visions created by good Lilac Fairy. The Prince tries to dance with the beautiful vision but to his frustration cannot touch her and is soon led by the Lilac Fairy to his sleeping love. Mounting a boat and floating across the stage through fog and woods they finally enter the great gates where the princess lays. The prince enters the room and kisses his love to break the spell.

In the final act the wedding takes place. Everyone from mythical lands attends, from the Puss in Boots and the White Cat to Belle and the Beast. Each performs a duet to honor the soon to be newlyweds.

While some partners danced several times and seemed to take away from the love story, others added comic relief and refreshment. The audience cheered while the White Cat swatted away the advances of Puss and laughed as the two danced in circles chasing each others tails. This act felt very long and didn’t seem to focus on the lovebirds, Florimud and Aurora, who had a few duets with beautiful choreography in which the prince lifted his love into the air in stunning formations.

In the end, the audience gave a standing ovation. The prologue definitely stole the show as well as the Puss in Boots and the White Cat. 

The Boston Ballet’s performance of The Sleeping Beauty swept up its audience in a timeless love story while still not taking itself too seriously — incorporating silly anecdotes throughout the performance. The show is a hit for all ages with something for everyone and the vibrant costumes and beautiful backdrops are sure to have you sitting on the edge of your seat for the whole Theatre through May 3.

Charles Perrault first published the traditional fairytale of Sleeping Beauty in 1697.  In 1890 Sleeping Beauty was preformed as a ballet in St. Petersburg to a score by Pytor Tchaikovsky with choreography by Marius Petipa. It would come to be known as Tchaikovsky’s first major success in ballet composition and the choreography was held as a standard for composers to come.

A cross between exquisite solos and elaborate party scenes Sleeping Beauty has every element of a fairytale ballet.  There is the evil witch with her menacing accomplices, good fairies, prince charming, and a blonde princess. Over the 100-year span it covers birth, death, marriage and everything in-between.  The ballet becomes more than just a story of love and spinning wheels, but a narrative carefully told through movement, expression and music.  With the single flick of a finger a ballerina may express what had taken a song in any cartoon version.

With updated scores by Jonathan McPhee, Boston Ballet Musical Director, and choreography by Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen The Sleeping Beauty never gets old at the Boston Ballet.  Running at the Wang Theater from April 23, 2009 to May 3, 2009, The Sleeping Beauty promises to revisit old memories and create new ones.

The one-time only show is free to the public and is expected to fill up fast. This student-run dance group has more than 120 dancers and will be showcasing 16 dance pieces in various styles, including Jazz, Hip Hop, Belly dancing and Lyrical genres to name a few. The all-inclusive No Limits Dance Crew is open to the entire Northeastern Community, and in addition to holding its own performances, the group is dedicated to collaborating with other NU creative arts groups and to being involved in the community.

The group also offers classes in all genres for $2 each for non-members. Classes are free for members. The classes are member-taught and the performance pieces are member-choreographed and this organization is truly a labor of love, and that love is for dance.

The Tower Auditorium is located directly in front of the Green Line E Branch’s Longwood Avenue stop at 621 Huntington Avenue.

The first act is made up of classical dancing with duets that suggest a love story. The dances are elegant in composition and the dancers are great at letting the dance take them over, allowing a fluid collaboration throughout. There are solos that allow the dancers to show off their strengths and abilities, while the duets and corps work together like one body in the music. Watching the dance is mesmerizing like a bonfire on a cold night.

The second act, Rubies was more contemporary with some sultry jazz influence. It was much more playful. Some of the use of form and ways they held themselves in general were reminiscent of the Spanish flamenco. There was a sense of freedom in the air, as the dancers ran about the stage, chasing one another, almost like a game of tag. Much bolder, the dancers showed true professionalism in their confidence in one another. One of the most impressive aspects of this act was that some of the dancing relied dancers “falling” on one another, leading them into another step or pace- this took much trust and good collaboration.

Finally, Diamonds, the final act picked up where the first act left off in that it was much more classical. We pick back up with the implied love story, and go on to more mature, perhaps conservative dancing. The form was more Russian than French, which can be much more delicate and graceful to the eye. In terms of their costume and posing, many of the dances reminded me of a Degas painting. Others were suggestive of the Three Graces more commonly recognized in Botticelli’s “Primavera” and in Greek mythology.

The final act was truly a work of art and the whole show is worth seeing. The Boston Ballet really out-did themselves in terms of their hard efforts and very apparent talent.

It’s a genre where poetry is read in a rhythmic conduct along with a soulful motif. It can be very inspiring, and it touches the soul. Iyeoka Okoawo is a poetry slammer of Nigerian decent who plans to make a difference with her words.

In 2006, Okoawo won a New England Urban Music Award for the Best Female Spoken Word Poet, and in 2007 she received a Massachusetts Industry Committee Hip-Hop Award for Spoken Word Artist of the year.

Iyeoka is also known world-wide. She was sought out by the president of Rwanda to perform a poem for a dinner he was hosting. Her art is like a rap song with more soul and more relevance to a larger audience. Though her medium is unusual where she does not sing her rhythmic words, they are piercing with poignancy.

She was recently at Boston University, where Blast had the chance to see her in action. She will be performing three more times in Massachusetts — Wednesday in Wellesley College at 7 p.m.; at Harper’s Ferry Friday in Allston; and March 13 at Alchemist Lounge in Jamaica Plain.

Do not miss out. Check out her website at http://www.iyeoka.com.

We raved about Black and white (see our review) and were also able to get some pictures of Heather Myers, who we interviewed earlier in the week.

All photos: Blast Magazine staff photo/Jessica Lander

Boston Ballet’s Black and White will be a hit. I attended the preview show early this week, and although costumes were not used, the dancing and choreography were phenomenal.

In the first dance, it was not taken seriously by some of the dancers. One was giggling and losing form while another was behind a beat. However, as the music persisted, the dancers became in-tune with the rhythm. They synced up perfectly.

The choreography was stunning. Dancers acted like moving sculptures that imitated visual, abstracted interpretations of the classical music used in this show. Choreographer, Jiří Kylián is truly an artist. In this show, the music is his canvas and the dancers are the paint. This show is truly reminiscent of surrealist painting in terms of their abstract movements and bold, yet crisp expression.

The dancers are obviously talented, and they perform several means of bending and lifting to form human structures. They literally mold themselves to become a single art piece. Even when they move differently, they move in sync with one another. The music puts the dancers (as well as the audience) in a trance, while they put their all into the music.

This being said, however, one flaw I did notice in the choreography, that is very common in most professional acts, is that although unique lifts can be impressive, they can also be unattractive, as the dancers (regardless of how strong or experienced they are) tend to tremble. During one of the lifts, one person was balanced with one foot on the back of another’s knee, which was awe-provoking, but also nerve-wracking, as the bottom (and as a result the top) dancer was inclined to shake.

Sometimes, it just looked painful.

But this is a great show. The first alf is breathtaking with music from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Johann Sebastian Bach and unique interpretations of the songs and concepts, while the second half is just hilariously entertaining. The second half plays with gender roles and awkward situations such as romantic infidelity. The show leaves you feeling upbeat and content with its beautiful concepts and comical finale. If you like contemporary ballet or modern dance forms, or just art in a broad sense, I urge you to see this show. Boston Ballet’s Black and White is truly a show that will keep you continuously entertained.

Second look: John Guilfoil

I attended opening night on Thursday at the Wang and was very impressed. The last two acts were especially engaging. In the fourth performance, “Falling Angels,” the rhythmic thumping of Steven Reich’s “Drumming, Part I” had me literally on the edge of my seat. And the dancing — forgetaboutit. Unbelievable.

The ballet was playful, engaging, passionate and full of talent provided by the Boston Ballet. Black and White is a marvelous ballet, and we were very lucky to have it first in Boston.

Don’t miss original Blast Magazine photography Friday!

Although it was not easy, Myers explained eloquently where her endeavors lead her, including when she started, and where she’s at now. Landing a gig with the Boston Ballet took talent, ambition and a pinch of luck, and the Canadian-born Myers has become one of Boston’s finest gems among many of its performers.

Blast Magazine asked Myers some questions that plenty of arts fans ask themselves while being captivated by her performances in shows like “The Nutcracker” and “Swan Lake.”

Blast: When did you start dancing?

HM: I started taking free dance classes when I was 4.

Blast: What made you want to get into to dancing as a profession?

HM: The transition into a career in dance seemed to happen pretty organically over time as I became more and more serious about it and realized that making a living at it was possible.

Blast: What did you have to do?

HM: To become a dancer I went away to professional ballet school at a young age and then trained pretty intensively until shortly after graduating from high school. From there it was a question of extensive auditioning and determination to get my first job.

Blast: Was it easy?

HM: Neither the training nor the job hunt was easy but few worthwhile endeavors are.

Blast: What do you like most about ballet?

HM: The things I like the most about the art of dance and ballet are its ability to effect and connect with people and the instinctive expressiveness of movement and music that it taps into and develops.

Blast: Is it your favorite dance style?

HM: Contemporary ballet or dance such as the Black and White program are my favorite style of dance.

Blast: What do you like most about B/W?

HM: As a dancer, what I like most about Black and White is Kylian’s beautiful and direct portrayal of the concepts. The dances feel like an enhancement what we are as humans rather than an interpretation of a story or characters. There is an earthiness and a truth to this program (as well as humor and levity).

Blast: What’s your favorite part of the show?

HM: I love the whole show. It is too difficult to pick a favorite part. Seeing the company’s principal dancers doing the work of such a master choreographer is definitely worth the night out!

Blast: What makes B/W different from other performances?

HM: This is the U.S. premiere of this full Kylian program. One very unique thing about it is that while it is technically 5 separate pieces, they are really all part of the same presentation and strung together by intention, style and some certain props/costumes, and are enriched by being seen all together.

It is also a program which is extremely loved by the dancers and meaningful to many of us. There is a lot of dancing for a wide range of company members and we are very lucky and happy to be dancing it: and this will almost definitely come through in our performances.

Don’t miss Blast’s review of “Blast and White” later this week!

“I understand why people make fun of it,” said Mickey Rapkin, author of the book “Pitch Perfect: The Quest for Collegiate A Cappella Glory,” in a recent interview. “It’s a group of guys sitting around singing Justin Timberlake songs without instruments. But there’s revenge. They’re laughing too, but they’re laughing all the way to the bank.”

Boston is home to several college and semiprofessional groups, including Overboard, which consists of eight men living out the dream of rock stars, complete with gigs, fans and recording albums, when they’re not at their full-time jobs.

But don’t compare this contemporary a cappella group and others like it to those glee clubs your grandparents knew, with four people standing around a microphone singing barbershop tunes, or the Tone Rangers full of sexually ambiguous men.

The men of Overboard, who range in age from 23 to 31 and balance their regular lives with their singing commitments, take the hits of artists like John Mayer, All American Rejects, Rob Thomas and Fall Out Boy and recreate the original songs’ rhythm and feel using just the sound of their voices.

“The thing I really like about a cappella is that you don’t need any equipment to do it,” said 29-year-old Nick Girard, who founded Overboard in the summer of 2006. “I don’t like to use the word organic, but it’s really such an easy, spontaneous thing to do.”

Arranging a cappella, however, is no longer as simple as gathering individuals to sing a song. Not all songs are compatible with the style of a cappella, and writing the score or rote memorizing the compilation can take days for some groups.

Girard said a song with a strong chord-based foundation lends itself to a cappella better than a song with the guitar and bass playing repetitive and similar notes.

When he arranges a song for a cappella, Girard said, he generally starts by concentrating on the bass and then bringing in the sounds of the other instruments, like the guitar or piano.

“You have to figure how many people are in your group and how many notes you need to represent to make your song sound like the real thing,” he said.

The common sounds used in a cappella to mimic the rhythms of background music include “ooh”s for softer sounds, and “ah”s “dum”s, “do”s and “jen”s for hard sounds.

But why bother making the human voice sound like an instrument when computer technology can manipulate sounds and certain instruments can modernize even the most classic works of music? Is a cappella even relevant today?

“The point is to entertain other people and to entertain yourself,” Rapkin said. “Why would technology keep people from singing together? You don’t need to set up; you just need your friends.”

Old school a cappella was primarily based on barbershop quartets singing jazz, but in the 1990s, the all-male group Rockapella seemed to reinvent the art form, channeling the theme that all sounds would be provided by the members’ “voices and appendages.”

Today’s groups incorporate contemporary music into their repertoires and make each performance “an exercise in how…close the human voice can come to real instrumental music,” Gerard said.

“It definitely has a certain charm to it, and it’s always well-received no matter who we sing to,” he added. “Turning popular music and being able to perform it the way we do is an interesting novelty that a lot of people haven’t seen. And there is a lot of money to be had. It’s family friendly and extremely portable.”

Cirque Le Masque, a world-toured, non-animal circus gave an amazing performance on opening night at Emerson College’s Cutler Majestic Theatre, in Boston’s Theatre District. The 90 minute show ended with a standing ovation.

Carnivale tells a story about a girl, Moira, (performed by Cara Maher) who is tired of the discordant noise from her home in a big city. She leaves the city and jaunts to Rio de Janeiro, where she eventually joins the circus. Along the way, Moira makes friends with local carnival performers in Central and South America.

Through this exploration we get to see such stunning acts as dual trapeze and silk acts (by World Champion twins Serenity Smith Forchion and Elsie Smith), aerial acrobatics, dueling contortionists, a massive “German Wheel” (by former Cirque du Soleil star Andrei Roublev), all accompanied by the Cirque le Masque dancers.

Between aerial stunts and psychedelic costumes, this show left me enchanted. The “Silk Act” particularly left us on the edge of our seats. People cried out in disbelief when one of the acrobats leaped into the air from one of the silk ropes and gracefully caught herself, roughly ten feet from the ground.

This French-inspired show expresses a liveliness that will surprise you over and over again.

If you don’t like audience interaction this show will definitely change your mind. There are two side characters. One acts almost as a ring master and looks like something not from this planet — rounded belly and various patterns and colors all over his body. The other is an eccentric older man. In between acts, these charming but mischievous characters that will have you in stitches.

Cirque le Masque’s Carnivale is a stunning performance, filled with laughter, intrigue and amazement.

The choreography had traces of bachata and salsa footwork. The two male dancers performing one of the silk acts in the second half of the show were reminiscent of capoeira (Brazilian “kick boxing”), as their wardrobe consisted of loose, white pants and their spirited choreography involved fast flips and impressive leg extension.

I would have liked to see more of two things: more emphasis on the dancing and more of the actual dancing, especially at the end and especially from the main character.

Moira suddenly shows up as a show girl in Rio, but there’s little character development before that. The dancing could have been rehearsed more, as small things like piques, other footwork and body isolation were sometimes not in sync or as accentuated as they could have been. I assume that this is probably because more of the emphasis at rehearsal was put on the difficult stunts than the dancing.

The music could have had more Latino influence in its beat, since the story takes place in South America — but this is also a French-inspired show…

The Ballet looks to have an impressive winter/spring season ahead under the leadership of the Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen.

“Our 2009 season is a noteworthy demonstration of the broad range of styles our Company excels in, and audiences will be exposed to a rare program line-up offering a rich history lesson of the art form and cutting-edge contemporary choreography, in addition to one of the great classical story ballets,” said Nissinen.

The season will commence with Jia Kylian’s “Black and White” program, which will make Boston Ballet the first company other than Nederlands Dans Theatre to perform the program. Including music by Mozart, Webern, Bach, and Reich, the five-part ballet plays with space, shape, and contrast to create what the Boston Globe described as a “dazzling” performance that challenges and enlightens.

George Balanchine’s “Jewels” will follow in late February, a three-part ballet that first opened in New York in 1967. “Jewels” provides a brief history of classical dance showcasing ballet’s French origin’s, Russia’s imperial influence, and Balanchine’s own style. The work emulates the elegance of 19th century France and is set to music by Gabriel Faure, Igor Stravinsky, and Tchaikovsky.

“The Sleeping Beauty” — an audience favorite since 2005 — will open in April. Nissinen has reunited David Walker’s sets and costumes for this version of the ballet, which originated in the Royal Ballet. Set to Tchaikovsky’s brilliant score, “The Sleeping Beauty” is a fairytale of good, evil, and true love.

Boston Ballet’s “Ballets Russes Centennial Celebration” will conclude the spring season — a retrospective work paying tribute to the centenary of Serge Diaghilev. “Ballet Russes” became one of the most influential ballet companies in the 20th Century, known for its unparalleled technique and artistic collaborations. The program includes “The Prodigal Son,” “The Afternoon of a Faun,” “Le Spectre de la Rose,” and “Le Sacre du Printmps.” To compliment Boston Ballet’s program, “Ballet Russes 2009,” an eight day dance film festival will run May 16-23 in association with Boston University.

Tickets for season ballets can be purchased by phone at 866.348.9738, online at www.citicenter.org, or in person at the Citi Performing Arts CenterSM box office, located at 270 Tremont Street in Boston’s Theatre District, open Monday through Saturday from 10am to 6pm. Prices for season ballets start at $25. Discounted group tickets (10 or more) are available by calling Boston Ballet’s Group Sales at 617.456.6343. Rush tickets are available. Contact the Boston Ballet box office at 617.695.6955 or visit www.bostonballet.org for details.

BOSTON — Seeing the Boston Ballet perform The Nutcracker is a New England tradition. It’s one of our “things” here in the Bean.

Blast attended on Tuesday, and we were really moved by the performance that balanced the playful with the traditional to weave a classic masterpiece into fun for all ages.

From the cutest little black sheep purposefully a step behind his brothers to the angels opening Act II from the Boston Ballet School, The Nutcracker is two hours of your life well spent.

It is a show that will feel very familiar to anyone, even if you haven’t been to a ballet before — and we know college students and 20-somethings tend to not see enough live theater. The music will take you away, and the familiar scenes like the always crowd-favorite Russian dancers will make you feel like part of the show.

My favorite scene is the sensual Arabian Dance with its unbelievably beautiful music (listen) and dancing. The Boston Ballet performs this scene and all others wonderfully.

There are six more shows, two on each day, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, so get your tickets now. Tuesday’s show was sold out.

Tickets start at $30, and there are group and student discounts abound.

The Nutcracker is a fairy tale ballet in two acts by Peter Tchaikovsky in the 1890s.

We all love movies, no doubt, but our generation really needs to pay more attention to theater, opera and ballet. There is nothing in the world like a live show, and some of the moves these dancers pull off are enough to make anyone gasp — you just KNOW that was difficult.

The Boston Ballet has settled into its new home at the Boston Opera House. It’s a wonderful ballet company that has been sorely under appreciated and underfunded in Boston, as the commercial Citi Center does all it can to bring in talent from New York and elsewhere.

The Nutcracker is a bold reminder that Boston’s home-grown talent is a world-class force. More plainly: it’s a reminder that Boston’s home-grown talent is awesome.

The Boston Ballet has a busy 2009 coming up, including an April-May run of The Sleeping Beauty that’s not to be missed either.

Robert Scholz took a deep breath as he carefully walked backwards up the stairs. In the distance he could hear shouts from the eager audience and the sound of the MC trying to hold their attention. Scholz tried to move a little faster, but his pace remained constant while friends assisted him from all sides.

He had to walk backwards up the stairs because he was on 10 inch stilts and could not lift his feet high enough to get up the stairs normally. He was off balance because his hands were partially attached to animatronics that controlled arm body armor. He was clad body armor because he was Canti, the friendly robot from the anime series “FLCL.” Scholz was performing in an animation masquerade competition, and the audience wanted their Canti.

Scholz reached the top of the stairs. The attendants in charge of the competition quickly helped him readjust his costume before he walked out onto the stage. They tucked the part of his ponytail that had fallen out from behind his LED mask into his headgear and straightened the jacket that covered his red chest plate. Some of the other contestants for the “master’s level” of the masquerade muttered under their breath about the duct tape being used to hold together Scholz’s leg armor, but all that mattered was that he was finally at the stage entrance in one piece.

Duct-tape or not, he was Canti, and the audience ate it up. Scholz/Canti had been so rushed getting up the stairs that his fingers were not entirely in the animatronic hand armor, making it look like he was giving the audience the middle finger. They didn’t care — they still screamed when he finally took the stage.

Scholz was performing in Anime Boston’s most popular event, the cosplay competition, called The Masquerade. To cosplay is to dress up as a character, — in this case from an anime – and act in their character. This was Scholz’s fifth year cosplaying, and he decided to sign up for the highest level of the contest.

It was only fitting that he wore a costume that took him three years to design and create.

The 5,000 audience members roared as Scholz performed his skit with his two friends. They were pretending that were playing Guitar Hero, and Canti was losing. Scholz accidentally dropped the toy guitar out of his hand because his arm armor had been put on too hastily. Instead of letting it ruin the skit, he just switched to the costume guitar that Canti always carried in the anime series.

By the time the skit was over, Scholz could barely see out of the costume’s visor, which cut off most of his vision. He was not focused on the noise going on around him. All that mattered was that he had finally accomplished what he had set out to do five years ago; compete in his Canti costume.

It took his friends’ wild gesturing at him to make him realize the MC was yelling to him.

“Hey, hey you! Giant red robot! Stop!” cried MC Michael Lee.

Scholz turned around to once again face the audience, and the lights in the auditorium suddenly went black. The audience gasped in wonder as the 204 LEDs attached to his outfit suddenly lit up and created a dazzling light show. By the time the house lights were turned back on, the audience was on its feet cheering for him.

“That’s why I cosplay from anime,” Scholz said, “because of how complete strangers give you praise for your skills at creating them.” 

Anime refers to Japanese animation, and is different from what most Americans view as cartoons. A popular example of anime is the smash hit from the 1990s, “Pokémon”, which exemplifies what is broadly known as the anime “style.” The Japanese Times describes it as “exaggerated physical features such as large eyes, big hair and elongated limbs… and dramatically shaped speech bubbles, speed lines and onomatopoeic, exclamatory typography.”

Scholz said that he started watching anime when he was a kid. “But, like most of the US public we didn’t realize we were watching anime,” he said. “Rerun shows like ‘Speed Racer’ and ‘Battle for the Planets’ were some of the anime I watched back when I could actually willingly wake up before sunrise [to watch them].”

Scholz is the son of two German immigrants and a first generation American. He says because of that he tended to think “outside of the states” and that it was during his trips to Germany with his parents that he originally developed an interest in anime and manga. His parents supported his interest in a culture different from his own.

“I was the first person in middle school and high school to get onto the ‘Sailor Moon’ and ‘Dragon Ball Z’ kick,” Scholz said. When the animes were still aired on Sunday mornings, Scholz would set his alarm clock early enough to be able to watch them. After they were moved to weekday mornings, he learned to time driving to high school around them.

Anime originated in Japan in the 60s, but didn’t really begin to grow as a major cultural export until the 80s and 90s. While early hits began with “Robotech” and “Dragon Ball Z,” today’s American audiences are following hits like “Naruto” and “Bleach.”

These animes are more action-based, or “shonen,” animes and generally are geared towards young boys. They tend to focus around cultural aspects that are specific to Japan. “Naruto” follows the story of a boy who wants to be a ninja. “Robotech” and “Dragon Ball Z” both have to deal with select characters defending their worlds from alien invaders. They use advanced technology to achieve their aims.

Japan is well known for its advances in technology, and this obsession with machinery is evident in most animes. The weapons used in “Bleach,” such as the katana, mimick those used by samurai in feudal Japan. The fantastical elements and intense plot lines make it easy for young viewers to be drawn into the worlds created through these popular animes while accepting the subtle aspects of Japanese culture in them.

When animes are brought to American television, they are often altered in content to satisfy conservative television studios. The animes are dubbed English before they are aired, and the translation can end up being extremely different from the original dialogue.

For example, in one episode of the Japanese version of “Sailor Moon,” there is a scene where one of the characters is nervous about getting into a hot spring, but his parents convinced him it was okay because only family was in there as well. However, the English dub changed it so that the boy says the water smells funny, and his father replies with “That’s just the sulfur in the water, you’ll get used to it”, followed by his mother saying “It’s not so bad smelling like rotten eggs.” This changes the entire meaning of the scene.

Select scenes and even entire episodes can be cut from a series because the American distributors feel that it is unfit for children’s eyes. This was done infamously to Sailor Moon by the television distributor, DiC. In the first season, five of the original Japanese episodes were cut and two episodes were merged to one because of “excess violence”. Also, two of the characters who were lesbians in the original show became cousins in the American televised version.

Andrew Cocuaco, owner of the anime store Tokyo Kid in Cambridge, finds that anime addresses far more mature themes. “[Japanese] don’t have the same hang ups we do,” he said. “You see sexual themes addressed more in anime than you do in regular American television.”

Cocuaco finds that what tends to be aired on television stations like Cartoon Network are the more action-based and fighting animes, while the more intellectual animes like the movie “Five Centimeters Per Second” are left for viewers to discover on their own either from hearsay or via the Internet.

 ”[Anime] is written for adolescents with power fantasies,” he said.

Scholz watches whatever animes his friends introduce to him, be it the newest hit on Cartoon Network or an obscure title found on the Internet.

The UMASS Dartmouth student says that college life really increased his ability to watch anime. Not only did he have access to the internet on a daily basis in order to watch animes through file streaming and sharing, he also had the freedom to venture off to “indie places” in Providence.

He was first introduced to the idea of cosplaying in 2003 at the first Anime Boston convention. It was not until his friend suggested that he dress up for the next years’ convention that Scholz realized that anyone could cosplay, not just models hired for specific character advertisement. He decided to dress up as Vash the Stampede from the popular anime “Trigun”.

Backstage at the masquerade competition, Scholz was nervous about going out in front of the growing audience in his costume. When he peeked out from behind a pillar to look at the growing number of spectators, he was surprised at the screams of excitement his costume elicited from one group of girls.

After his performance, the masquerade coordinator took him aside from the other contestants and suggested that after he received his first award, he should run quickly from the stage because he would be receiving another. “This kind of took the fun out of waiting to find out if I won,” Scholz said. He received two trophies for his costume, as well as numerous prizes.

Anime Boston’s first convention in 2003 drew 4,110 people, including vendors and staff, and had only 14 exhibitors selling anime-related goods. The most recent convention in March drew over 14,000 with 66 vendors, including Cocuaco’s Tokyo Kid.

Scholz returned each year to Anime Boston with a cosplay costume bigger and better than ever. After over three years of working on the project, Scholz introduced his newest masterpiece: the robot Canti from the anime “FLCL”.

“Canti was an inspiration of both genius and insanity,” he says. “With the cosplay world increasing in talent and competing against my past creations I figured I’d go overboard.  I decided on Canti because it was challenging.  Oh, people cut out old computer monitors, but it wasn’t accurate in my eye and vision.”

Scholz pictured a Canti costume that was intricate and honored the anime’s depiction of the robot. In order to do this, he wanted to create a full body suit that would look similar to the metal body Canti had. Instead of the flimsy cardboard cutouts other contestants had used for heads, Scholz wanted to create a head mask that would be able to light up like Canti’s does multiple times during the series. He wanted to make himself into a robot.

The idea seemed brilliant when Scholz first imagined it in 2005. However, after being laid off from his job,  he did not have enough money to continue working on Canti. The fiberglass, plaster, and electronics were all expensive. Scholz was only able to work on building Canti for months at a time because the amount of time and effort it took to put together the pieces of the costume as well as his limited funds. That is why Canti took so long to complete.

“My parents didn’t like my cosplaying until after the first win and I started off to make the next one,” Scholz admits. “My friends enjoyed it; some were amazed by what I put into it. … But when I came to Canti and strived over those years when I had time from occupation and responsibilities, [my parents] found it fun to see it arise from its pieces and were happy to help here and there with electronics and fitting.”

Scholz says that Canti is still in progress, but he presented the costume for the masquerade competition at this year’s Anime Boston regardless. One of the judges said that they saw him as “a walking accessory”.

What the Canti costume did consist of were 204 LEDs, 20 of which were blinking, contained in 14 different sockets on the body armor. Scholz was stilted on 10 inches of piping and plywood covered in foam and fiber glass. He used basic hand animatronics to extend the arm lengths to keep them in proportion with the rest of the body. The body armor was constructed by making plaster shapes and fiber glassing over them.

The final height of the costume rounded out at about 7 and a half feet.

The future looks bright for anime lovers out there. Nickelodeon’s 2004 release of “Avatar: The Last Airbender” produced a show that was an American take on Japanese animation and ended up being extraordinarily popular with a large age-range.

“This equilibrium of thoughts and ideas has influenced a majority of US film and in return has sparked Japan’s creation.  I might be pushing it, but the world might be a better place when we have these medias intermixing,” said Scholz. “Not to say we’ll all become a bean pot, but I feel the growing generations in this time are more understanding and tolerant compared to past generations.”

“Maybe world peace will be found in the global sharing such as anime,” Scholz said. “Yeah, now there’s rambling.”

First is the launch of his all-new website, JackieGleason.com, which will feature constantly updated clips and photos from his career. Gleason was famous for Kramden, but he had a slew of other hilarious characters, including: Reggie Van Gleason III, Rum Dum, Fenwick Babbitt, Joe the Bartender, The Poor Soul and others. While the new site is technically in its “1.0″ stage, there is still a lot of cool stuff to check out.

“This has been in the works for quite some time and we are simply thrilled to launch what we consider to be a fitting online tribute to a legendary visionary in the entertainment industry,” says Geraldine Chutuk, daughter of Gleason and managing director of Jackie Gleason Enterprises. “Finally, my father is going to have an official home where fans from years past can relive all the great moments, and new fans can discover his magic for the first time.”

Gleason gets another gift (or maybe he’s giving a gift to us, that sounds more like it) as MPI Media released The Color Honeymooners Collection #2 three-disc DVD set today. It retails for $39.95.

Happy Birthday, Jackie!

The longest-running show in Broadway history opened on this day in 1988 — “The Phantom of the Opera.” Adapted by Andrew Lloyd Webber from the classic French novel by Gaston Leroux, the musical tells the story of the tortured soul who haunts the Paris Opera House, and his love for one of its young singers.

A runaway success, Phantom of the Opera is in production at many places around the world on a continual basis.  In 2006, it became the longest-running show in Broadway history.  Each year on Broadway, there are nearly 40 new productions.  These and long-running shows draw almost 12 million people each year into theaters along the Great White Way.

Material from the US Census Bureau was used in this report.

Opening this month, “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas” is one of the best and catchiest shows in town this holiday season.

From November 23 until December 23, you can surprise someone special and stay in Boston in style and check out this critically acclaimed, often sold-out musical based on the classic movie.

Doubletree Boston-Downtown is offering a package for $289, which includes an overnight stay in this Hilton-family hotel and a pair of VIP tickets to “White Christmas.”

Shows are available Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2 or 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 1 p.m and space is limited, so call 617-956-5115 and mention code L-WHC with two weeks of your intended arrival date.

Sweeney Todd is a dark tale set in the 1800’s were a Fleet Street barber returns to London to seek revenge after being tried and sent to jail for 15 years. Todd is befriended and encouraged to fulfill his vendetta by the hilarious, and equally twisted, pie-baker of the worst pies in London, Mrs. Lovett.

The cast awes audiences with dexterity in both vocal and instrumental talent, with many being able to play multiple instruments. However, if looking for a production where the money spent is apparent on the sets, head next door to Wicked. Although not flashy, Sweeney Todd will not disappoint with its appearance.

The show opens with panes creating an illusion of being inside a bleary wooden box. A feeling of eeriness is emphasized with lighting leaking slowly through its cracks. Like in the opening scene, a little goes a long way. During the show only 9 chairs, a wall of props and a black coffin are pushed to the limits of what they represent to illustrate the tale being told. This agility is what impresses one most as the ten actors single-handedly carry every aspect of the production together.

Because of the minimalist set, the few props go a long way. With every death, the stage is bathed in red light; buckets of blood are slowly poured out and the newly deceased adorns a lab coat smattered with even more blood. It is a creepy but powerful effect.

Tony award winner, Judy Kaye portrays Mrs. Lovett with raucousness to the role that will delight newcomers and make her fans ecstatic. Although not quite as endearingly maternal as Patti LuPone, who played Mrs. Lovett before her, Kaye compliments Sweeney’s blind vengefulness with her own idiosyncrasies. Sweeney Todd however, played by David Hess but understudied by David Garry, falls somewhat flat.

Sweeney’s is a role of deep-set anger where a level of empathy must be employed, both of which seemed difficult for the actors to acquire. Other character highlights include the talented singer Johanna, played by cellist Lauren Molina, and the exceedingly quirky Tobias, violinist Edmund Bagnell.

A downfall of the show is the difficulty in understanding what characters say at times. Sondheim’s music is beautiful to listen to, but can confuse newcomers to the plot. Modern theaters and full houses may make it harder for the sounds to be clear as well. Unlike at the original presentation in New York’s Eugene O’Neill theater, which debuted in ‘79 and was only half-full. The effort in trying to use lighting, props and actors as in the original adaptation, though, make the play satisfactory even with the minor setbacks.

Sweeney Todd will be touring through the nation until early 2008. At BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com, tour dates and locations can be viewed. If the musical does not come to a city near you going to the movies is the next best thing. Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter are set to star in the film adaptation of the musical, in theaters December 21.

Sweeney Todd with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim; book by Hugh Wheeler; directed and designed by John Doyle; lighting by Richard G. Jones.