CTG’s Family Theatre season is also off to a rollicking start this year with Cinderella, the Panto! This quirky, delightful production, written and directed by Jackie Mellor Guin, is a perfect treat for all the family and will have you laughing in the aisles. Full of catchy songs, laugh-out-loud routines, lavish costumes, this version of Cinderella, her bossy, ugly step sisters, evil wicked stepmother and handsome Prince Charming is told with a whopping twist!
Many Americans are unfamiliar with the wildly popular tradition of British pantomime, which has deep roots in the 15th and 16th century traditions of Commedia del Arte, and employs an assortment of stock characters and other customs in each production. For instance, there is always a comic ghost scene, the stepsisters are played by men (think Mrs. Doubtfire) and are called the Uglies and the Prince has a double role — and is usually played by a young woman. Thom Allen, who plays one of the Uglies exclaimed that, “As an actor, playing a Dame has been challenging and rewarding. Because the ‘Dame’ character is a man dressed as a woman but obviously a man and definitely not a ‘drag’ queen, it requires stretching my limits of physicality and character building. For instance, coming up with six female poses is not something that comes easy to me. I really enjoy the laughter, love and larger than life characters of the Panto, and also working with the wonderful people both in front of and behind the scenes.” Lore Davis McCluskey, the play’s zany Scottish Fairy Godmother added, “This is my first Panto and I find that the high energy everyone is bringing to the stage has really made this a spectacular experience so far. What makes Pantos so fantastic and challenging is having an open dialogue with the audience, so we’re never sure just what might happen! This is exactly why folks should see it. It’s a fun story to begin with and the audience really gets to feel a part of the show.” So folks, start your new year with a laugh. You won’t want to miss this zany British Panto adaptation of the age-old tale of Cinderella! We’re going to have a ball! Performances are Saturdays: January 31, February 7, 14 and 21 at 2 p.m.; Sundays: February 1, 8, 22 at 6 p.m.; Sunday, February 15 at 2 p.m.
Tickets for the shows are available by calling the CTG Box office at 661-799-2702. The Canyon Theatre Guild is located at 24242 Main Street in Newhall.