Sally Struthers to Star in RAPUNZEL AND HER HOLIDAY WISH at The Laguna Playhouse this December

Laguna Playhouse and Lythgoe Family Productions have announced that Sally Struthers (“All In The Family”) will star as “Madame Gothel” in the world premiere of RAPUNZEL AND HER HOLIDAY WISH, written by Kris Lythgoe, directed by Becky Lythgoe, supervising director is Bonnie Lythgoe, choreography by Becca Sweitzer and musical direction by Andy Street.  RAPUNZEL AND HER HOLIDAY WISH will begin performances on Saturday, December 7; (with a press opening on Sunday, December 8 at 5:30 pm); and runs through Sunday, December 29 at the Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach.  

RAPUNZEL AND HER HOLIDAY WISH is based on the beloved fairytale, this hair-larious tangled tale undergoes a Holiday Panto makeover. Prepare for a spellbinding journey as Rapunzel tries to escape from her tower with the help of her friends Dame Betty and Simple Simon, all while learning her true identity. Get set for Laguna's favorite holiday event, filled with laughter, music, pop music from Taylor Swift to Queen and of course snow!                                                                                   

ABOUT THE CAST AND CREATIVE TEAM

SALLY STRUTHERS (“Madame Gothel”) 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.”  Sally 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 Cafe 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 co-starred as Miss Hannigan. Sally 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, a second Ovation Award for Cinderella, and also won a plaque for ‘Best Actress' in her 7th Grade Class Play. Regional: Hello, Dolly!, Anything Goes, Fifth Of July, Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, The Full Monty, Fiddler On The Roof, Chicago, All Shook Up, The Drowsy Chaperone, Best Little Whorehouse In Texas, 9 To 5, Legally Blonde, Tootsie, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Witches Of Eastwick, Nice Work If You Can Get It, and Grumpy Old Men. Sally recently filmed an eight-episode series, “A Man On The Inside,” for Netflix starring Ted Danson.

Full casting for RAPUNZEL AND HER HOLIDAY WISH will be announced shortly.

BECKY LYTHGOE (Director) Most recently directed Rodgers & Hammerstein‘s Cinderella (TACFA). Associate director for LFP on numerous Panto productions over the past decade. As a producer, Becky is one of the founders of Lythgoe Family Productions which has received congressional recognition for their contribution to the arts. She also serves as casting director which has seen everyone from Ariana Grande to Alex Newell, Sabrina Carpenter to Shoshana Bean tread the boards in a Panto.  Television credits include; guest starring on “How I Met Your Mother” (Fox), “House, M.D.” (Fox), “All of Us” (CW).  Host for “Stars in Danger” (Fox), “CD:USA” (DirecTV), “Planet Green” (Discovery), and “Star Weekly” (E!).  As a recording artist, her Universal Records debut album garnered #1 Billboard dance hits and she won best new dance artist at the WMA's and top dance artist of the year in Billboard Magazine.  She is a proud graduate of The University of Michigan Musical Theatre Department and a member on The Board of Trustees for Children's Hospital Los Angeles. 

KRISTOPHER LYTHGOE (Writer/Producer) is so grateful to be back with Panto in Laguna. TV credits include: “So You Think You Can Dance” (Fox), “Corkscrewed: The Wrath of Grapes” (Fox Reality), “Who Are You” (Fox), “On The Nose” (Tvg), “My Beautiful Game” (Fox Soccer), “Soccer Superstar” (Nickelodeon), “Ellen's Game Of Games” and “True Story” (NBC). Theatre credits: Footloose, The Wedding Singer and many American Pantos across the country.

BONNIE LYTHGOE (Supervising Director) With a career spanning more than 30 years, Bonnie's achievements as a dancer, choreographer, director, TV presenter, TV producer and Broadway producer are second to none.  Starting her dancing career in the feature film To Sir, With Love, starring Sidney Poitier, she followed up with a variety of choreography and directing roles including the world premieres of Robin Hood and Maid Marion: A Holiday Panto, Snow White, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Grease, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, The Full Monty, Cinderella, Peter Pan, Aladdin, West Side Story and Royal Variety for HRH Queen Elizabeth. With ongoing success in musical theatre, Bonnie served as a judge for a BBC singing reality series “S Club Juniors” created by Simon Fuller. She joined the next Simon Fuller venture, “American Idol,” where she served as a producer on the first three series before moving on to another new project, “So You Think You Can Dance,” for which she was both a judge and a producer for the first two series. Bonnie then headed Down Under for “So You Think You Can Dance Australia.”  In 2011, Bonnie created Lythgoe Family Productions in Los Angeles with her son Kristopher. 

Together they have brought musical “Panto” to Los Angeles. The first production was Cinderella, followed by Snow White with Neil Patrick Harris. Well-known for her creativity and involvement in global television hits, Bonnie is dedicated to bringing affordable theatre to families across the world through fun, laughter and music. 

ANDY STREET (Musical Direction) Television programs featuring his music are watched in over 100 countries throughout our world. His compositions, arrangements, and musical direction have won many major industry awards in England, Europe and the United States. He was the composer for “Madeline,” for which he was honored with an Emmy in 2003. He has continued to be a prolific composer in the television genre, wrote all the music for “Strawberry Shortcake,” “Angelina Ballerina,” and recently a new NBC/Universal show, for children, called “Norman Picklestripes.”  In 2012, Andy became the associate Musical Director and arranger for “American Idol” on Fox. He also mentored many of the successful singers on that show.  In October 2017, he was hired as Musical Director for a new variety series, Last Laugh in Vegas, featuring many variety stars of the past few decades in an all-new format, complete with orchestra, dancing girls, and the legendary Las Vegas razzmatazz!  Andy's first love, though, has always been the theatre. His latest musical, Doodle opened in January 2018 in London.  This follows other productions, The Hard-Boiled Egg and The Wasp, and 27 Santas and an Elf Called Kevin, also from the pens of Street and his good friend Jonathan Kydd, which were staged successfully in London and New York. He is currently working with Roger Avary (Pulp Fiction) on a new thriller musical set in London in the 18920s and in Spring 2024 he is looking forward to working with acclaimed director Charlotte Ercoli, scoring her new feature film, Fior di Latte, set in New York and Florence.  

BECCA SWEITZER (Choreography) is a three time World Choreography Award nominee whose choreography has appeared on the TV shows "Jessie", "Bunk'd", "Code Black", "AGT", Fox's "Alter Ego" and HBO's Emmy nominated "We're Here".  Commercial credits include Ugg, Chrysler, Beats By Dre and Sensa, and music video credits include Scissor Sisters, Passenger, Raphael Saadiq, and Cher Lloyd. She's worked with many high-profile drag queens on videos, television, tours, and notably, at Dolce & Gabbana's Fashion Week party in Milan. Theater credits include: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Garry Marshall Theater), Starmites(Open Fist Theater Company), A Cinderella Christmas (Lythgoe Family Productions) and Grease (TACFA). Her favorite performing credits are Hairspray, Austin Powers in Goldmember, "That 70s Show", "Smash", Academy Awards, DWTS and appearances with Jennifer Lopez (Live From Puerto Rico, MTV VMAs), Christina Aguilera ("What A Girl Wants", Come On Over", MTV VMAs), Ricky Martin and Katharine McPhee. She was in the original Los Angeles cast of Rock of Ages and once partnered withJane Lynch in a gorilla suit on the Primetime Emmys. 

ABOUT LYTHGOE FAMILY PANTO

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 the Grimm fairy tales and others, each story 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. Past Pantos at Laguna Playhouse include A Cinderella Christmas starring Veronica Dunne; the world premiere of The Wonderful Winter of Oz starring Olivia Sanabia and Barry Pearl; Robin Hood & Maid Marion: A Holiday Panto starring Michael James Ryan and Sohm Kapila; Peter Pan & Tinker Bell: A Pirates' Christmas, starring John O'Hurley, Lincoln Klauss and Ashley Argota; Beauty and the Beast: A Christmas Rose starring Ashley Argota and Thomas Hobson; Aladdin and His Winter Wish starring Kira Kosarin and Barry Pearl;Sleeping Beauty and her Winter Knight starring Cozi Zuehlsdorff and Joely Fisher & A Snow White Christmas starring Marina Sirtis and Lindsay Pearce. 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. 

ABOUT THE SCHEDULE AND PRICING

RAPUNZEL AND HER HOLIDAY WISH will preview on Saturday, December 7 at 12:00pm & 4:00pm (with a press opening on Sunday, December 8 at 5:30 pm) and runs through Sunday, December 29 at the Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach.  

Tickets range from $44 - $84 for adult tickets; $37 - $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). Group discounts are available by calling 949-497-2787 ext. 229.  Prices subject to change.    

Group discounts are available by calling 949-497-2787 ext. 229.  Prices subject to change.    
Tickets range from $44 - $84 for adult tickets; $37 - $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!  

The box office is open Tuesdays - Sundays: 12pm to 4pm; Mondays open 2 hours prior to show time and until 15 minutes after curtain.  Open until showtime on all performance days.

For more information on all shows and programming visit www.lagunaplayhouse.com.  LAGUNA PLAYHOUSE is located at 606 Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach.   

About Laguna Playhouse

Founded in 1920, the historic Laguna Playhouse (David Ellenstein, Artistic Director/Bill Kerlin, Managing Director) is one of the oldest continuously-operating not-for-profit theatres on the West Coast and is proud to be an active participant in the celebrated Laguna Beach arts community. From classic plays and musical comedies to the current off-Broadway smash, cutting edge and traditional music exhibitions, dance festivals and stand-up comedy performances, Laguna Playhouse brings the magical experience of the performing arts direct to over 80,000 patrons each season.

Laguna Playhouse educational programming includes year-round classes, productions by and for children and teens (Youth Theatre) and is one of the few companies in the region that offer a curriculum-based professional theatre-touring program, TheatreReach, which aligns with the California State Standards for literature, history and performing arts curriculum.      

Laguna Playhouse has been recognized for the past five years as one of Orange County Register's “Best of OC” in the category of Live Theatre. The Laguna Playhouse has featured many talented performers on stage, including Ed Asner, Leslie Caron, Hershey Felder, Harrison Ford, Melanie Griffith, Val Kilmer, Gregory Harrison, Dan Lauria, Hal Linden, Wendie Malick, Rita Rudner, Peter Strauss, Jobeth Williams, Joely Fisher, Charles Shaughnessy, French Stewart, Loretta Swit, and Bette Davis.

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