Jetsettersblog

Chicago was selected as the first stop on the national tour of “Billy Elliot the Musical,” beginning March 18 at the Ford Center/Oriental Theatre.

Chicago boasts more than 250 theater companies, 115 performance venues with 5 million tickets sold annually, and 800 productions a year.

Four city blocks in the Loop along Dearborn and Randolph streets comprise the city’s downtown Theater District.

Among the commercial theaters here are the Ford Center for the Performing Arts/Oriental Theatre, Cadillac Palace Theater, Bank of America Theatre (formerly the Shubert Theatre), Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, and Drury Lane Theatre Water Tower Place.

Chicago theater-goers frequently have the chance to see pre-Broadway engagements at these venues. Productions that have debuted in Chicago before heading to Broadway include “Spamalot,” “Mamma Mia!,” “The Producers” and, most recently, “The Addams Family.”

Hot Tix offers a selection of half-price tickets ranging from Broadway shows to productions in neighborhoods throughout the city. Hot Tix is located at the Chicago Tourism Center at 72 E. Randolph St., at Chicago Waterworks Visitor Center at 163 E. Pearson, and online at www.hottix.org.

In addition, the League of Chicago Theatres provides information about discounted tickets at www.chicagoplays.com. For more information, visit www.explorechicago.org

London’s Westbury Mayfair is offering a package priced at £390 ($583) per person which includes return private car transfers from and to London Heathrow; three nights accommodation in a Superior double/twin room; English breakfast; VAT; and musical ticket seat in stalls to see shows in London including “Phantom of the Opera.” “Love Never Dies” or “Sister Act.”

The offer is subject to availability and valid from April 1 to 11.

All prices are based on a minimum of two persons sharing a twin/double room. Bookings must be received at least 14 days prior to arrival.

For more information, visit www.westburymayfair.com

Virgin Vacations packages for theater lovers seeking to spend some time in London’s West End. Clients can choose from a selection of London packages then select from a choice of plays and musicals, including the new “Phantom of the Opera” sequel, and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s latest, “Love Never Dies.”

London packages available include the four-night London Escape starting at $749, the six-night London and the new six-night Four Star London package which starts at $799.

Starting rates are for departures in the spring and fall with rates in the summer starting at $1,169.

All packages include complimentary breakfast and roundtrip airfare on Virgin Atlantic or other available carriers.

Virgin Vacations Travel Packages are priced per person double occupancy and include roundtrip airfare on Virgin Atlantic or available carrier, hotel accommodations, continental breakfast daily, hotel taxes and services charges, and mandated fuel surcharges.

Not included in the package price are federal inspection fees for the federal U.S. Immigrations and Customs; International Air Transportation Association tax;

agricultural tax; other per person taxes imposed by government entities;

airport taxes and fees including the September 11th Security Fee up to $10 per person, passenger facility charges up to $18 per person, federal domestic flight segment fees up to $3.70 per segment and U.S. and international arrival and departure, and other government imposed fees up to $300 per person.

For more information, call 888-937-8474 or visit www.hotels.virgin-vacations.com

If you like Elvis you will love Viva ELVIS, the new Cirque de Soleil homage at Aria Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

Having seen every Cirque show on the Las Vegas Strip I was a little trepidacious about the plethora of Elvis possibilities. I envisioned flying Elvii, and impersonators dangling from high wires, but happily, I was wrong.

The production has integrity, and intimate Elvis moments are highlighted with extravagant Broadway dance sequences. The Cirque specialty — performers that defy gravity and our imaginations work in concert with the dancers, marrying the best of both worlds.

Read the entire feature with full color photos at this link:

The style and seduction of Argentina will come to the Mudgee Region for ‘Tango In The Vineyards’ from 27-30 March 2010, the opening event for the Australian International Tango Festival, TangoFest 2010. Tango in the Vineyards is a new event and it is first time the Festival has expanded outside of Sydney.

Open to anyone to attend – tango lovers or learners – Tango in the Vineyards will be a relaxed getaway of dance workshops, shows, dinners and touring. Prince Hill Wines will host the TangoFest 2010 opening night on 27 March and the Festival will finish in Sydney on 4 April.

‘Tango In The Vineyards’ highlights 27-30 March:

* Opening night for TangoFest at Mudgee’s Prince Hill Wines with a dinner, show and dancing (Sat 27 March). Cost $65pp.

* ‘Wagyu Beef BBQ’ at Gooree Park; a free ‘You can Dance’ workshop for learners; ‘Tango Latin Night’ at the Waratah Hotel (Sun 28 March)

* Winery tour to some of the 50 cellar doors; ‘Tango Competition’ at the Mudgee Club (Mon 29 March)

Tickets are available for individual events, the opening night costs $65pp, and other events are free or start from $15pp. Accommodation in Mudgee is available for any budget starting from $90 at a motel, or up to five star.

This year is the 6th TangoFest, an annual event in Sydney which is growing in momentum and includes milongas, workshops and practicas to enhance skills in this enchanting dance. It attracts tango lovers from Australia and overseas, plus internationally acclaimed teachers and performances, including World Tango Champions Daniel Nacucchio and Cristina Sosa.

“The Mudgee Region offers so many sensory delights, which marry beautifully with Tango culture. We chose to expand the Festival program here because of the friendly, enthusiatic people; the fabulous coffee, wine and food; the variety of things to see and do; and because it’s a beautiful, established town with so much history.” said Lilian Jimenez, Organiser of the Australian International Tango Festival.

To book TangoFest events in the Mudgee Region call (02) 9955 4610 or m: 0403 309 414 or go to www.tangofest.com.au.

To book accommodation during TangoFest and for touring in the Mudgee Region contact the Visitor Information Centre on (02) 6372 1020 or go to www.visitmudgeeregion.com.au

The Mudgee Region is a 3.5 hour drive from Sydney to Central NSW, or it is a 40minute flight with Aeropelican from Sydney. Go to www.aeropelican.com.au

A food and wine lover’s paradise, the Mudgee Region also offers a range of arts, culture, history, nature and wilderness experiences.

Mantra and Showbiz have lifted the curtain on a range of crowd-pleasing accommodation and show deals for Melbourne’s strictly limited 15 week season of the global hit stage musical, MAMMA MIA!

Returning as part of the 10th Anniversary Australian Tour, MAMMA MIA! has had Sydney theatre-goers singing and dancing in the aisles since October and will return to Melbourne from 13 February at Her Majesty’s Theatre. The show will also go on to play limited seasons in Perth and Brisbane later this year.

As proud accommodation partners of the global smash hit, Mantra Hotels, Resorts and Apartments has teamed with Showbiz to offer a range of great value Stay & See® packages, where visitors can enjoy the funny, sunny tale of a mother, a daughter and three possible fathers with the story-telling magic of ABBA’s timeless songs, and a premium hotel experience.

A magic choice for musical lovers in Melbourne is Mantra 100 Exhibition, just a short stroll from Her Magesty’s Theatre in the heart of Melbourne’s vibrant CBD. Stay & See® packages start from $216* per person per night twin share including two ‘A’ Reserve tickets to the show.

For those who have already purchased their MAMMA MIA! tickets and are looking for somewhere to dance their way back to after the show, Mantra also has a range of exclusive MAMMA MIA! accommodation packages.

Melbourne was the first Australian city to fall in love with MAMMA MIA! at its Australian premiere in 2001.

Writer Catherine Johnson’s sunny, funny tale unfolds on a Greek island paradise. On the eve of her wedding, a daughter’s quest to discover the identity of her father brings three men from her mother’s past back to the island they last visited 20 years ago.

The story-telling magic of ABBA’s timeless songs propels this enchanting tale of love, laughter and friendship, and every night everyone’s having the time of their lives!

For bookings or further information phone 1300 306 342 or visit www.mantra.com.au/mammamia

*Subject to availability. Rates valid Tuesday to Thursday nights.

Brendan Vacations is offering last-minute deals for Oberammergau and Europe Escorted tours for bookings made by Feb. 28.

Mention promo codes when booking.

Prices are reduced as much as $440 per person. The Oberammergau Passion Play has taken place every 10 years since 1634 in the Bavarian village of Oberammergau, re-creating the death and resurrection of Christ in their haunting Passion Play.

The Grand Alpine Tour scheduled for May 27 has been reduced from $4,099 to $3,812, a savings of $574, use promo code LMD149.

European Whirl scheduled for May 30 has been reduced from $3,949 to $3,751, a savings of $396, use promo code LMD150.

European Spree scheduled for June 2 has been reduced from $3,015 to $2,864, a savings of $302, use promo code LMD151.

Italy & Sicily scheduled for March 12 has been reduced from $1,550 to $1,395, a savings of $310, use promo code LMD142.

London & Paris scheduled for March 19 has been reduced from $1,225 to $1,105, a savings of $240, use promo code LMD143.

The French Escapade scheduled for April 1 has been reduced from $1,825 to $1,639, a savings of $372, use promo code LMD144.

Traditional Europe scheduled for May 15 has been reduced from $4,375 to $3,935, a savings of $880, use promo code LMD146.

For information, call 800-421-8446 or visit www.brendanvacations.com

There are just 100 days to go before the premiere of the 41st Oberammergau Passion Play 2010.

The reenactment of the passion features 148 performers with speaking roles, up to 1,000 people on the open-air stage in the crowd scenes and the backdrop of the Ammergau Alps.

Rehearsals are well under way now on the open-air stage in the purpose-built theater, beards are being grown and hair is left uncut.

Pictures of the performers before and after the so-called “hair decree,” which has been in place since April 2009, can be seen on the www.oberammergau-passion.com  website.

The performers must all have lived in Oberammergau for at least 20 years or been born there.

The Oberammergau Passion Play 2010 will take place between May 15 and Oct. 3.

For the first time ever, performances will start in the afternoon at 2:30 p.m. and last until approximately 10:30 p.m., including a three-hour break for dinner.

For more information, visit

www.oberammergau-passion.com

or www.tourcomm-germany.com

The Mexico Tourism Board will be a promoter of the Ballet Folklórico de México’s 2010 U.S. Tour.

The internationally acclaimed dance troop, originally called Ballet Moderno de Mexico, began in 1952 by Amalia Hernandez with only eight dancers. The troupe now includes more than 75 of the Mexico’s most talented folk dancers, and has garnered more than 200 international awards.

Highlights of the new program will be Dioses Aztecas (Aztec Gods), a piece that has not been performed outside Mexico in many years due to the complexity of its staging.

Other new additions to the program include The Feather Dance and The Jarabes, two dances from the southern state of Oaxaca, one of Mexico’s most culturally rich states.

Other dances include an homage to the central-western state of Jalisco, where most tequila is produced and where both the cowboy tradition of charrería and mariachi music were born;

and El Gusto, a Mexican tap dance from the Pacific coastal state of Guerrero.

And the Revolution of 1910-1917 will be celebrated through its female fighters, the soldaderas, who joined the war for democracy along with the men, in a piece called Revolución.

Audiences can see Ballet Folklórico de México’s magic in the U.S. in 55 shows in 42 cities — all in just 10 weeks.

To purchase tickets, visit the ticketmaster banner at right.

The Colorado Tourism Office (CTO) has released the 2010 Colorado Official State Vacation Guide.

This year’s guide holds Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) designation.

The guide is printed on FSC-certified paper made in the U.S. from 85 percent recycled content, including 20 percent post-consumer waste.

The guide provides accounts of Colorado experiences through feature stories and departments, which highlight “What’s Now,” “What’s Surprising” and “What’s Timeless.” The guide contains coverage for every season and photography that highlights the state’s natural beauty.

The “What’s Timeless” department covers Colorado activities such as whitewater river rafting, golf and trips on scenic and historic trains.

“What’s Now” focuses on summertime in Colorado ski towns, camping, craft breweries and beer festivals. For out-of-the-ordinary Colorado activities, the “What’s Surprising” section highlights Colorado bird watching, the wine country, hot springs, high altitude regattas, concert and theatre venues, and shopping.

The trip planning section includes detailed maps, airport information, things to see and do in each of the state’s travel regions, and tips for navigating the state.

The guide also lists information on more than 700 hotels, events, attractions, outfitters, restaurants and organizations.

Each section also directs readers to pages on www.colorado.com  where they can go for more information and encourages them to stay up to date on news and deals from across Colorado through the state’s social media channels, including Facebook (www.facebook.com/visitcolorado ), Twitter (www.twitter.com/colorado ), YouTube (www.youtube.com/visitcolorado ) and Flickr (www.flickr.com/photos/visitcolorado ).

The guide is available free of charge. For more information, call 800-265-6723 or visit www.colorado.com