GREAT NEWS for panto fans: the recent revival of the traditional British Christmas staple in Southern California will continue this holiday season with a production of Peter Pan and Tinker Bell – A Pirates Christmas at the Pasadena Playhouse from December 9th to January 3rd.
Leading the cast will be Sabrina Carpenter as Wendy, Kevin Quinn as Peter Pan, John O’Hurley as Captain Hook, Chrissie Fit as Tinker Bell, Nikki SooHoo as Tiger Lily, and Parvesh Cheena as Smee.
Rounding out the cast are two very special and very large dogs. Newfoundland breed brothers Gordon and Bonner will be alternating performances as “Nana,” the Darling family’s four-legged nanny.
Director Bonnie Lythgoe returns after last year’s successful Panto at The Playhouse production of Sleeping Beauty and Her Winter Knight, choreographer Spencer Liff and musical director Michael Orland. The book is by Kris Lythgoe, scenic and costume design by Lythgoe Family Productions, and the LFP producers include Becky Baeling Lythgoe and Kris Lythgoe.
The Lythgoes are building an admirable track record in bringing affordable theatre to families across America. Based on the Grimm fairytales and others, each story has been modernized with topical scripts for parents and well known pop songs for kids. Past Panto at The Playhouse productions include: Sleeping Beauty and Her Winter Knight, starring Olivia Holt and Lucy Lawless, A Snow White Christmas starring Ariana Grande and Neil Patrick Harris and Aladdin and His Winter Wish starring Ben Vereen.
Pasadena Playhouse Artistic Director Sheldon Epps told the British Weekly: “Once again, our partners have put together a sterling, exciting, and gifted cast to bring our very special holiday programming to our stage. Panto at The Playhouse has become, in a very short time, an exciting holiday tradition at our theatre, which is much appreciated and celebrated by our community.”
The show runs from from December 9, 2015 – January 3, 2016. The Pasadena Playhouse is located at 39 South El Molino Avenue in Pasadena. The performance schedule is Tuesdays – Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 12:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and Sundays at 12:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. For more details and tickets visit www.pasadenaplayhouse.org.
