Lythgoe Family Panto Announces 2019 Holiday Touring Season

From the family behind TV's American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance, Lythgoe Family Panto produces live, interactive musical theater for the whole family. Panto is a uniquely British holiday theatrical tradition dating back to the 1700s, taking classic fairy tales and blending them with pop culture and music, with comedic scripts, improvised moments and local references. Panto creates a raucus, interactive environment where everyone participates in the fun.

The Lythgoes are dedicated to bringing affordable entertainment to families across America while creating a memorable theater experience the entire family can share together. Kris Lythgoe explains, "The drive of Lythgoe Family Productions is to introduce kids and lower-income families to theater for the first time. These family musical shows are growing fast across the country. There is an audience out there that wants to be introduced to live theatre and, by bringing in young adults with their kids, we are creating a new audience for tomorrow." Adds Becky Lythgoe, "Panto is affordable and multigenerational."

Star casting for these engagements includes Garrett Clayton (Hairspray Live!) and Jared Gertner (The Book of Mormon) in Raleigh and Pasadena; John O'Hurley (Seinfeld) and Ashley Argota (True Jackson VP) in Laguna Beach; and Kira Kosarin (Nickelodeon's The Thundermans) and Richard Karn (Home Improvement) in Nashville. Full casting will be announced at a later time.

Snow White will feature choreography by Emmy Award winners Napoleon and Tabitha D'umo (NappyTabs) (So You Think You Can Dance) with direction by Bonnie Lythgoe (So You Think You Can Dance) and Musical Direction by Michael Orland; Peter Pan and Tinkerbell will feature choreography by Kitty McNamee (LA Opera) and direction by B.T. McNicholl (Billy Elliot: The Musical, Cabaret) with Musical Direction by Doug Peck; And Aladdin will feature choreography by Chase Benz (Step Up 2) with direction by Ernie Nolan (Nashville Children’s Theater) and Musical Direction by Keith Harrison. Michael Orland is the Musical Supervisor and Arranger for all Lythgoe Family Panto titles.

Previous productions from Lythgoe Family Panto include Beauty and the Beast - a Christmas Rose, The Wonderful Winter of Oz, Sleeping Beauty and Her Winter Knight, A Cinderella Christmas, A Christmas Carol - The Spooktacular Panto, Robin Hood & His Merry Christmas Men, The Snow Queen and Alice in Wonderland. Past productions from Lythgoe Family Panto have featured the talents of Neil Patrick Harris, Ariana Grande, Jordan Fisher, Ben Vereen, Morgan Fairchild, Lucy Lawless, John O'Hurley, Tamyra Gray and Alex Newell, among others. Past productions have featured direction and choreography by So You Think You Can Dance stars Spencer Liff, Mandy Moore, Napoleon and Tabitha D'umo (NappyTabs) and others.

A Winter Wonderland lobby experience engages families in the theater before the show and allows kids to get acclimated to the theater setting. This features activities such as face painting, coloring, costume contests, photo booths and more.

A Snow White Christmas

Raleigh, NC - Nov. 30 - Dec. 8 Buy tickets

Pasadena, CA - Dec. 13-22 Buy tickets

Peter Pan and Tinkerbell - A Pirate's Christmas

Laguna Beach, CA - Dec. 5-29 Buy tickets

Aladdin and His Winter Wish

Nashville, TN Dec. 13-22 Buy tickets

For additional information, please visit www.americanpanto.com.