Opening Nite Theatre Society’s Puss in Boots, The Panto! is back for another season.
The show will open Dec. 14 in what is being billed as one of the funniest and most entertaining parties of the holidays.
Panto is a form of theatre that involves a fairy tale storyline, slapstick humour, music, audience participation, and crazy costumes. The panto’s multi-layered approach is as entertaining for adults as it is for children of all ages.
This year’s extravaganza has Fairy Nice and Fairy Naughty landing in ancient France, and you can bet that there will be plenty of trouble.
Poor Andy and his Mum are poverty-stricken and losing hope when the family cat decides that it’s time he took charge and make them millionaires.
Puss plots marrying off Andy to the beautiful, yet cynical Princess Zola, but not without a few bumps along the way. Will true love win through? Will Puss get to live in the “lap” of luxury for the rest of his life, or will this be the year that Fairy Naughty finally gets her evil way?
Written and directed by Camille Knight, Puss in Boots, The Panto! stars some familiar faces as well as newcomers. Susan Dearing reprises her role as Fairy Naughty, and Jennie Bice returns as the amiable Fairy Nice and leads the musical team along with Mahara Sinclaire and Gary Crawford.
Newcomers Michael Morris, plays the forever scheming Puss, and Kelli Corscadden is the handsome, sometimes naïve, hero. With Tony Loyer and Travis Nick playing peasants, Gerard and Hubert, be prepared for a lot of laughs. And of course, what is a Panto without the beloved Dame, played by the accomplished and witty Gerwyn Mills.
Tickets are only $12 for adults, $8 for children ages 3-12 (children under 3 are free), and $30 for a family (two adults and two children). Shows run Dec. 14-16, Jan. 4-6, and Jan. 11-13. Friday and Saturday shows are at 8 p.m., and Sunday shows are at 2 p.m. Tickets are available at the door, 33223 N. Railway Ave., or from Murdoch’s Book Shoppe on First Avenue.