It’s a modern twist on a classic story, with pop songs and plenty of interaction, and this year’s family pantomime theater show opens Friday in Thousand Oaks.
Director Becky Lythgoe is putting the polishing touches on the show during rehearsals for the Wonderful Winter of Oz, as the actors deliver their lines on stage. But this is a pantomime, so it means one crucial character can’t be there for rehearsal.
The audience!
"There's another character in the show, and that's you, the audience. So you need to be ready and willing to be a part of it," said Lythgoe.
As part of Lythgoe Family pantos, the family has been bringing the British tradition of pantomime to California Christmases for years. But for those who don’t know, what is a panto?
"You get to cheer the good guys, cheer Glinda, cheer Dorothy and her friends, and boo the wicked witch," explained Lythgoe.
"What we saw in the landscape of theater is there's not a lot of shows that are multi-generational, that brings the kids, the parents, the grandparents all together. But also, where you can introduce new young audiences because they don't have to sit on their hands, they can be a part of the show and sing and dance along to the songs they know and love. So we're like, we need to bring this to America!" she said.
The story of Dorothy’s trip to Oz gets the panto treatment, which means modern music, and it also benefits from a little boost from the recent release of the movie Wicked, which tells the unexpected origin story of the two witches.
"We are very lucky that there's a little movie called Wicked having its second coming to the movie theater in a grand way at the same time. And then also I think the story of Wizard of Oz in general always resonates with people young and old because it's a sense of belonging and finding your own voice and your community and how nine times out of ten or nine point nine times out of ten, everything you need, the strength you need, the ambition, everything is already inside of you," said Lythgoe.
"Our audiences will hear some familiar phrases from Wicked, like a toss-toss and a way to click talk," shared Tamyra Gray, who is playing Glinda, the good witch.
"It's a lot of comedy, and it's so much joy, which is everything that the holiday spirit is all about. And you have familiar songs, so it's really awesome," said Gray.
And the wicked witch of the west is played by Nicole Parker, who said she relishes being the villain.
"The more they boo, the stronger it makes me," joked Parker.
"I think a panto is a great introduction to theater for kids, and there's more interest in the Wizard of Oz because of Wicked as well," said Parker. "There's a whole new generation that really only knows the movie, which is fine. I am so glad that everybody is now knowing the story globally. And it's not always convenient to make it to a Broadway theater, so the fact that it is generating more excitement for musical theater, but also leads them to a show like this, is great."
Performances of Lythgoe Family Panto’s The Wonderful Winter of Oz begin December 12 and run through Dec ember 28 at the Scherr Forum Theatre at the Bank of America Performing Arts Center in Thousand Oaks, and tickets are available TOpanto.com.
