Franklin Performing Arts Company Presents THE NUTCRACKER

The Franklin Performing Arts Company (FPAC) will present three productions as part of its annual holiday season. FPAC kicks off December with the holiday classic: The Nutcracker, presented December 1 and 2 at the Franklin High School Auditorium. Experience all the festive magic and colorful splendor of The Nutcracker as FPAC stages its cherished annual production of the holiday classic with live orchestra, special guest artists and more than 100 area dancers. The Nutcracker remains a highly anticipated and treasured part of the FPAC season - a popular holiday tradition for more than 20 years. The world-famous ballet, set to Tchaikovsky's beloved score, delights the imaginations of audiences young and old with a professional production at a reasonable price.

The holiday magic continues with FPAC's original gem: Humbug! running December 8 and 9 at the Franklin High School Auditorium. A family favorite since debuting as part of FPAC's 2008 season, Humbug! is an original musical retelling of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, starring the script's writer, Nick Paone, as Ebenezer Scrooge. With musical hits of every genre and live accompaniment by a 10-piece band of professional musicians, Humbug! transports audiences from Dickensian England to contemporary America as the novel's iconic characters and storyline are cleverly reimagined with modern setting and dialogue. Humbug! delivers a holiday gift of hilarity with a timely - and timeless - message.

FPAC will wrap up its holiday celebration with an original "panto" December 21 and 22 at THE BLACK BOX. In Britain there is a wonderful holiday tradition called a "panto." Back in 1717, the actor/manager John Rich first created a type of show that involved a well-known fairy tale told in an exaggerated style filled with audience participation, popular songs, slapstick comedy, jokes and dances.At its best, a panto thrills children with the opportunity to cheer for the hero and boo at the villain and sing along with some of their favorite songs. But the brilliance of a good panto lies in its ability to also entertain adults with double entendre, references to modern culture, open satire of other works and the opportunity to sing along with some of their favorite songs. Bring the whole family to FPAC's fourth annual "American Panto" - a holiday tradition for us all.

For tickets and more information, visit www.fpaconline.com or call the box office at 508-528-3370. You can follow FPAC on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.