Laguna Playhouse is keeping it “All in the Family” this month when it presents Lythgoe Family Productions ninth Panto at the Playhouse production of “Rapunzel and her Holiday Wish” that runs December 7 through 29.
Sally Struthers, who starred in the classic groundbreaking TV series “All in the Family” plays Madame Gothel in the show, which also features Darcy Rose Byrnes as Rapunzel, L.J. Benet as Prince Sebastian, and Larry Saperstein as Simple Simon. “Rapunzel and her Holiday Wish” is produced by Lythgoe Family Productions. It is written by Kris Lythgoe and directed by Becky Lythgoe, with supervising director Bonnie Lythgoe and choreography by Becca Sweitzer. Musical direction is by Andy Street.
According to information from Laguna Playhouse, the story follows Rapunzel as she tries to escape from her tower and the wicked Madame Gothel with the help of Prince Sebastian of Newport Beach, all the while learning her true identity and making her way to the Kingdom of Laguna for the Festival of Lights.
This Laguna Playhouse holiday tradition is filled with laughter, pop music from Taylor Swift to Stevie Wonder, and “snow.”
The Full Cast of “Rapunzel and her Holiday Wish” features Darcy Rose Byrnes (“Reefer Madness,” “Sofia The First”) as Rapunzel, L.J. Benet (“Ring of Fire” at Ensemble Theatre Company, National Tour of “Million Dollar Quartet”) as Prince Sebastian, Larry Saperstein (“High School Musical: The Musical”) as Simple Simon, Douglas Ladnier (“Jekyll & Hyde”) as Sniville, and Ralph Cole, Jr. (“NCIS,” “Scrubs”) as B. Bouffant. The Ensemble will feature Isabella Childers, Sydney Kinney, Elisha Nealy, and Andrii Strelkivskyi.
Sally Struthers is a two-time Emmy and Golden Globe Award winner for her performance in the groundbreaking TV series “All In The Family.” She starred in CBS’ spinoff “Gloria” and “9 to 5” (FOX), and played recurring roles on “Still Standing” (CBS), as well as “The Gilmore Girls” (CW) and Netflix’s four movie revival, and guest starred in “Maron” (IFC). Sally’s television movies include: “A Gun In The House,” “And Your Name Is Jonah,” “The Great Houdinis,” “Hey… I’m Alive,” “In The Best Interest Of The Children,” “Deadly Silence,” “My Husband Is Missing,” and “Intimate Strangers.”
Struthers co-starred in two legendary motion pictures: “Five Easy Pieces” with Jack Nicholson, and “The Getaway” with Steve McQueen and Ali McGraw. Sally’s first two Broadway shows were “Wally’s Café” with Rita Moreno and James Coco, and Neil Simon’s female version of “The Odd Couple” with Brenda Vaccaro. For three years, she starred as Miss Mamie Lynch on Broadway and on tour in Tommy Tune’s production of “Grease,” and in the 20th Anniversary Tour of “Annie” as Miss Hannigan.
Struthers was named Best Actress by the Los Angeles Artistic Director Theatre Awards for her role as Louise Seger in the musical “Always… Patsy Cline;” won the Ovation Award as Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance as Agnes Gooch in the LA production of “Mame,” and a second Ovation Award for “Cinderella.”
Lythgoe Family Panto produces fun, musical theatre the whole family can enjoy. Known for their creativity and involvement in television hits “American Idol” and “So You Think You Can Dance,” the Lythgoes are dedicated to bringing affordable theatre to families across America. Based on Grimm fairy tales and other stories, each play has been modernized with topical scripts for parents and well-known pop songs for kids. The Lythgoes pride themselves on creating a memorable experience a family can share together.
“Rapunzel and her Holiday Wish” marks Lythgoe Family Panto’s ninth Panto production at the historic Laguna Playhouse. As part of the organization’s ongoing commitment to develop theatre for young audiences, Lythgoe Family Panto together with Laguna Playhouse will bring the magic of Panto to hundreds of underserved children who attend school in Orange County.
“Rapunzel and her Holiday Wish” performs Wednesday through Sunday, through December 29. Tickets range from $44 to $84 for adults, $37 to $69 for children 2 – 14. There is a $50 “Golden Ticket” add-on available for children ages 4-12 that includes a special onstage sing-along experience during the performance and a gift bag with special surprises.
Tickets can be purchased online at www.lagunaplayhouse.com or by calling (949) 497-ARTS (2787).
