By Katie Thomas | Special to the NB Indy
Ten years ago, Lythgoe Family Productions presented their first iteration of “A Snow White Christmas” on the Laguna Playhouse stage. Now, a revised version of the production returns to the Playhouse through Dec. 28 to mark the 10th anniversary of Panto productions, filled with laughter, audience interaction and fun for the whole family.
The Panto is a form of theatrical entertainment that combines fairytale characters, slapstick comedy, improvisation and audience interaction to give audiences an immersive and joyous experience. It is a holiday staple in the UK, and families often use Panto productions as a way to introduce their children to the theatre.
The Lythgoe family first brought these types of productions to the Laguna Playhouse in 2015 and have since celebrated the holiday season each year with productions such as “The Wonderful Winter of Oz,” “Rapunzel and Her Holiday Wish,” “A Cinderella Christmas” and more.
In this revised production of “A Snow White Christmas,” audiences can expect to hear pop hits from Lady Gaga, Adele, Ed Sheeran, ROSÉ and others sung by the cast. Muddles the jester serves as a sort of narrator and guides the fun, maintaining consistent witty banter and engaging audience members of all ages.
The cast encourages audience members to cheer on Snow White, Prince Harry and all of their friends, with opportunities to boo and hiss at the Wicked Queen as she thwarts Snow White. Throughout the show, audiences enjoy impressive dancing, passionate singing, well-curated costumes and the heartwarming magic of the holiday season.
The cast boasts impressive credentials, with Marcelle LeBlanc (“Stranger Things,”, “Cobra Kai”) as “Snow White,” Nick Delzompo (“Melchior” in Spring Awakening”) as “The Prince,” Kimberley Locke (“American Idol,” “Dr. and the Diva”) as “The Queen,” Barry Pearl (“Doody” in Grease, “The Wonderful Winter of Oz” at the Laguna Playhouse, “Bye, Bye, Birdie” and “The Producers” on Broadway) as “Herman,” Jonathan Meza (“Armed Forces Entertainment”) as “Muddles” and John O’Hurley (“Seinfeld,” “Peter Pan” and “Tinker Bell: A Pirate’s Christmas”) as the voice of the Magic Mirror.
“A Snow White Christmas” features writing by Kris Lythgoe, direction by Bonnie Lythgoe, musical direction by Michael Sobie, and choreography by Clarice Ordaz.
Tickets range from $39 to $89, with a $50 “Golden Ticket” add-on available for children ages 4-12. This add-on includes a special onstage sing-along experience during the performance, and a gift bag filled with special surprises.
Tickets are available at www.lagunaplayhouse.com.
