Photo Flash: Opening Night of Pasadena Panto's THE WONDERFUL WINTER OF OZ

The opening night celebration of THE WONDERFUL WINTER OF OZ on December 14 will also serve as a benefit for the GiveKidsPanto program.

Lythgoe Family Panto created GiveKidsPanto, a non-profit educational program, serving over 6,000 Title 1 students across America annually. For many of these students, this is their first opportunity to see live theater. GiveKidsPanto raises funds, which allows each LFP production across the country to add a student matinee to their performance schedule. The funds raised through GiveKidsPanto go to facilitate the student's bus transportation to and from the theater as well as buy the tickets to the performances. Last year at the Pasadena Civic alone, over 2,000 students from the Pasadena and Greater Los Angeles area schools were brought in to see a performance of Beauty and the Beast: A Christmas Rose. For more information please contact events@americanpanto.com

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 fairytales and others, each story has been modernized with topical scripts for parents and well known pop songs for kids. Previously Lythgoe Family Panto established their reputation with productions including Beauty and the Beast: A Christmas Rose starring Kellie Berglund, James Snyder and Gedde Watanabe, A Cinderella Christmas starring Lauren Taylor, Alex Newell and Morgan Fairchild, Peter Pan and Tinker Bell - A Pirates Christmas starring Sabrina Carpenter and John O'Hurley, Sleeping Beauty and Her Winter Knightstarring Olivia Holt and Lucy Lawless, Aladdin and His Winter Wish starring Ben Vereen, Jordan Fisher, and Ashley Argota - and A Snow White Christmas starring Ariana Grande and Neil Patrick Harris.

Photo Credit: Kareem Cervantes