When I was in grade school, few things annoyed me more than the annual trip from Aberdeen to Seattle to see a production of The Nutcracker. Never really amused with the storyline, I found the whole thing dull and boring.

Now, twenty-something years later, I'm intrigued because I've grown up and The Nutcracker has all of a sudden (and by "all of a sudden" I mean two years ago) gotten sexy.

For the third year now, The Triple Door is hosting "Land of the Sweets: The Burlesque Nutcracker". Last year they sold out all six performances, so this year they're doubling it, starting next Tuesday, December 16 and continuing through the 23rd.

Land of the Sweets: The Burlesque Nutcracker is the nation's first and only full-blown professional production of the holiday classic—rendered in 1930s burlesque cabaret style.

Featuring the A-List of American burlesque stars, Land of the Sweets seamlessly marries traditional ballet, burlesque, and swing dance. A sizzling hot jazz soundtrack of Tchaikovsky's original score sets the tone for the swingin'est wintertime party since the end of prohibition.

Racy but never raunchy, this show takes us to a fantastic, far-away locale where the characters of the Nutcracker live and play in their off-time. While prim and proper on the music hall stage, these characters have quite a different demeanor in their private lives, and as the party unfolds, we see the famous Nutcracker characters bare almost all with flair and glamour.

More information is at Landofthesweets.com or go to TheTripleDoor.net for ticket info.

Here's a clip from the 2007 performance: