CHILDREN OF THE WINTER KINGDOM – THE BONKERS ADVENTURES OF HOLLY AND SPRUCE To Premiere At The Actors’ Gang

The Actors’ Gang will premiere Children of the Winter Kingdom – The Bonkers Adventures of Holly and Spruce, an original family fantasy written by Adam Dugas and Mary Eileen O’Donnell and directed by Dugas, for a three-week run from December 4 to December 20. Tickets will be available at theactorsgang.com and by phone at 310-838-4264.

The production will follow orphan twins Holly and Spruce as they flee a circus and become lost in the wintry realm of Glassenvale, where an evil circus queen and her strongman pursue them through a forest of extraordinary characters, including a king and his dragon, a wild girl, a crow, a sorceress, and an ice spider. The work incorporates music, puppetry, and theatrical design rooted in The Actors’ Gang’s signature style.

Artistic Director Tim Robbins noted that the production will transport audiences into “a magical wintery world” as the children navigate friendship, family, and community while helping restore balance to Glassenvale.

This new holiday work originated when Robbins invited Dugas and O’Donnell to create a full theatrical narrative rather than the company’s traditional variety-style holiday programming. Drawing inspiration from David Copperfield, The Snow Queen, Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz, Carlo Gozzi’s King Stag, The Golden Compass, Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles, The Book of Three, and classic Disney fairy tales, the playwrights developed a story designed to resonate with young audiences without relying on traditional holiday figures.

Dugas emphasized the desire to honor youthful imagination while avoiding sentimentality, noting that the piece blends sincerity with sharp-edged humor and theatrical invention. O’Donnell described the play as “a supernova of joy in the darkest time of the year,” inviting audiences from across Los Angeles to experience the production at The Actors’ Gang Theater in Culver City.

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