Kris Lythgoe News

Aladdin and His Winter Wish/written by Kris Lythgoe/directed by Bonnie Lythgoe/Pasadena Playhouse/through December 29 For a few years the prolific Lythgoe family have been entertaining us at Christmastime, first at the El Portal in NoHo and now at the Pasadena Playhouse with a British style panto. A panto is an interactive entertainment that starts with a very contemporary retelling of a fairy tale such as Snow White, Cinderella, or in this case Aladdin and turns it into a fun imaginative show with music that will appeal to both children and their parents. There's usually an actor in drag (outrageous Bruce Vilanch as the Widow Twankey, Aladdin's mother), a villain (Josh Adamson as Abanazar) and audience are encouraged to root for the heroes and HISS loudly at the villains. Actors such as Adamson tease the audience with a Mel Brooks-like phrase 'It's fun to be evil!' after which kids and adults boo and boo some more and even raise up props such as swords and other toy weapons in defense of their favorite hero. It's all in amusement, of course, and this year's Aladdin and His Winter Wish is by far the best show to date with a superlative cast, great special effects, some spectacular dancing and singing and an overall jolly good script by Kris Lythgoe that flows along without the slightest snag.

Lythgoe Family Productions announced today that Los Angeles hit show A SNOW WHITE CHRISTMAS will be performing in Salt Lake City at the Jeanne Wagner theatre, this December. The production features recording artist David Osmond as Prince Harry, an on-screen appearance by Nigel Lythgoe ('So You Think You Can Dance, American Idol') as The Magic Mirror and Amy Whitcomb ('The Voice') as Snow White. Performers were selected to play the 'Seven Dwarfs' from local dance schools, Center Staging and Vibe.

The Pasadena Playhouse and Lythgoe Family Productions (LFP) present ALADDIN AND HIS WINTER WISH, starring Ben Vereen (Broadway's Pippin and Jesus Christ Superstar) as 'The Genie,' JorDan Fisher as 'Aladdin' (Disney's Teen Beach Movie), Ashley Argota as 'The Princess' (Nickelodeon's True Jackson VP), Richard Karn ('Home Improvement') as 'The Sultan', and Bruce Vilanch as 'Widow Twankey'.

Bruce Vilanch has been announced to play Widow Twankey in The Pasadena Playhouse and Lythgoe Family Productions (LFP), ALADDIN AND HIS WINTER WISH, starring previously announced Ben Vereen (Broadway's Pippin and Jesus Christ Superstar) as 'The Genie,' Jordan Fisher as 'Aladdin' (Disney's Teen Beach Movie), Ashley Argota as 'The Princess' (Nickelodeon's True Jackson VP) and Richard Karn ('Home Improvement') as 'The Sultan.'

Lythgoe Family Productions announced today that Los Angeles hit show A SNOW WHITE CHRISTMAS will be performing in Salt Lake City at the Jeanne Wagner theatre, this December. The production features recording artist David Osmond as Prince Harry, an on-screen appearance by Nigel Lythgoe ("So You Think You Can Dance, American Idol") as The Magic Mirror and Amy Whitcomb ("The Voice") as Snow White. Performers were selected to play the "Seven Dwarfs" from local dance schools, Center Staging and Vibe.

The Pasadena Playhouse and Lythgoe Family Productions (LFP), announced today the principal casting for ALADDIN AND HIS WINTER WISH, starring Ben Vereen (Broadway's Pippin and Jesus Christ Superstar) as “The Genie,” Jordan Fisher as “Aladdin” (Disney's Teen Beach Movie), Ashley Argota as “The Princess” (Nickelodeon's True Jackson VP) and Richard Karn (“Home Improvement”) as “The Sultan.”

The Pasadena Playhouse announced yesterday that its 2012 - 2013 "Better Than Ever" season, which concluded with the closing performance of Sleepless in Seattle - The Musical, exceeded sales and attendance goals for the theatre's fiscal year. The Playhouse's season was highlighted by the world premieres of the comedy Under My Skin and Sleepless in Seattle - The Musical; the smash-hit One Night With Janis Joplin, which was developed at The Playhouse, recently announced its Broadway engagement for this fall; and the launch of a long-term partnership with Lythgoe Family Productions for an annual holiday Panto at The Playhouse. The fiscal year closed with new summer programming that included an inaugural Cirque-A-Palooza festival, a one-week run of Letters From Zora starring Vanessa Bell Calloway and a sold out nine show limited engagement of Val Kilmer in Citizen Twain.

The Pasadena Playhouse (Sheldon Epps, Artistic Director and Elizabeth Doran, Executive Director) announced today that its 2012 - 2013 "Better Than Ever" season, which concluded with the closing performance of Sleepless in Seattle - The Musical, exceeded sales and attendance goals for the theatre's fiscal year. The Playhouse's season was highlighted by the world premieres of the comedy Under My Skin and Sleepless in Seattle - The Musical; the smash-hit One Night With Janis Joplin, which was developed at The Playhouse, recently announced its Broadway engagement for this fall; and the launch of a long-term partnership with Lythgoe Family Productions for an annual holiday Panto at The Playhouse. The fiscal year closed with new summer programming that included an inaugural Cirque-A-Palooza festival, a one-week run of Letters From Zora starring Vanessa Bell Calloway and a sold out nine show limited engagement of Val Kilmer in Citizen Twain.

The Pasadena Playhouse (Sheldon Epps, Artistic Director and Elizabeth Doran, Executive Director), announces the final week of performances for A SNOW WHITE CHRISTMAS, through December 30 only. This inaugural production of the new Panto at The Playhouse holiday series has been playing to nearly sold-out houses and has become the season's new hot family entertainment ticket.

Mirror, Mirror on the wall - whose is the loveliest Panto of them all? Well, in Pasadena it's the Playhouse, which has begun a new holiday tradition with this year's debut of Lythgoe Productions' A Snow White Christmas.

Ovation, the only television network devoted to artists and every kind of artistic expression, will usher in the holiday season with programming celebrating theater and dance. On Thanksgiving night, Ovation will present an Ovation Original documentary special, A SNOW WHITE CHRISTMAS: OPENING NIGHT, which takes viewers behind- the-curtain for the Lythgoe Family's (American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance) quest to bring the entertaining and cheerful British "panto" musical theater tradition to American audiences for the first time. Ovation then kicks off its sixth annual programming event, "BATTLE OF THE NUTCRACKERS," featuring stunning Nutcracker productions and a chance for viewers to vote on their favorites. The popular programming event will now air for a month on Sunday afternoons in a celebration the entire family can enjoy together.

Ovation, the only television network devoted to artists and every kind of artistic expression, will usher in the holiday season with programming celebrating theater and dance. On Thanksgiving night, Ovation will present an Ovation Original documentary special, A SNOW WHITE CHRISTMAS: OPENING NIGHT, which takes viewers behind- the-curtain for the Lythgoe Family's (American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance) quest to bring the entertaining and cheerful British "panto" musical theater tradition to American audiences for the first time. Ovation then kicks off its sixth annual programming event, "BATTLE OF THE NUTCRACKERS," featuring stunning Nutcracker productions and a chance for viewers to vote on their favorites. The popular programming event will now air for a month on Sunday afternoons in a celebration the entire family can enjoy together.

The Pasadena Playhouse and Lythgoe Family Productions, announced today that, due to popular demand, an extra week of holiday performances of A SNOW WHITE CHRISTMAS has been added for this limited engagement.

The Pasadena Playhouse and Lythgoe Family Productions, announced today that family ticket packages are now available for A SNOW WHITE CHRISTMAS (December 13 - 23) with prices starting at $99.00 for a four-ticket package.

Ovation, 'the only television network devoted to artists and every kind of artistic expression,' will usher in the holiday season with programming celebrating theater and dance. On Thanksgiving night, Ovation will present an Ovation Original documentary special, A SNOW WHITE CHRISTMAS: OPENING NIGHT, which takes viewers behind- the-curtain for the Lythgoe Family's (American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance) quest to bring the entertaining and cheerful British "panto" musical theater tradition to American audiences for the first time. Ovation then kicks off its sixth annual programming event, "BATTLE OF THE NUTCRACKERS," featuring stunning Nutcracker productions and a chance for viewers to vote on their favorites. The popular programming event will now air for a month on Sunday afternoons in a celebration the entire family can enjoy together.

Ovation, the only television network devoted to artists and every kind of artistic expression, will usher in the holiday season with programming celebrating theater and dance.

The Pasadena Playhouseand Lythgoe Family Productions, announced today that Curt Hansen (Broadway's Next to Normal and Hairspray) joins the cast as "Snow White's Prince" in A SNOW WHITE CHRISTMAS. The production also features the previously announced Ariana Grande (Nickelodeon's "Victorious") as "Snow White," an on-screen appearance by Neil Patrick Harris as "The Magic Mirror" and Charlene Tilton ("Dallas") as "The Wicked Queen."

The Pasadena Playhouse (Sheldon Epps, Artistic Director and Charles Dillingham, Interim Executive Director) and Lythgoe Family Productions, announced today casting and the creative team for A SNOW WHITE CHRISTMAS, featuring Ariana Grande (Nickelodeon's "Victorious") as "Snow White," an on-screen appearance by Neil Patrick Harris as "The Magic Mirror" and Charlene Tilton ("Dallas") as "The Wicked Queen." This inaugural "Panto at The Playhouse" production of A SNOW WHITE CHRISTMAS will be directed by Bonnie Lythgoe ("So You Think You Can Dance") with choreography by Spencer Liff (Emmy nominee "So You Think You Can Dance") and musical direction by Michael Orland ("American Idol"). Performances will begin December 13 through December 23, with a gala press opening night on Wednesday, December 12, 2012, at 7:00 p.m. at The Pasadena Playhouse.

Lythgoe Family Productions and Magic Pictures International announce the second run of "A Cinderella Christmas," the second show in the 2011 holiday season of traditional British family Panto.

In the tradition of the British Panto, brought so successfully to the Los Angeles stage in 2010 via Cinderella, the Lythgoe family return this year with A Snow White Christmas. British Panto, short for Pantomime, is an interactive show with music for the entire family and based on a fairytale. The music incorporated is the latest craze, and the jokes used are always relevant to current cultural trends. The main goal is to bring the family unit together for entertainment.