If you’re in the Los Angeles area over the holidays and are looking for hugely enjoyable way of impressing the value of reading on kids, look no further than the Lythgoe Family Pantomime Beauty and the Beast: A Christmas Rose, now playing at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.
Being British, I may be biased in favor of this oh-so Anglo tradition, but my three Californian, surfer-dude sons (12,10 and 8) all said it was the best show they’d ever seen and that it might even inspire them to read more. This is interactive theater with today’s pop hits, superbly-choreographed, and executed, modern dancing, performed by an all-star cast, with the timely message of never judging a book by its cover.
In addition, Lythgoe Family Panto (LFP), in association with Pasadena Playhouse, announced that the opening night celebration of the world premiere of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST – A CHRISTMAS ROSE at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium on Wednesday, December 13 will benefit Give Kids Panto, a non-profit educational program, serving yearly over 5,000 Title 1 students across America, many of whom will see theatre for the first time through this program. All funds raised that evening will go to support the Panto student matinees for LAUSD and PUSD students.
Live theatre Pantos are produced across the country and Give Kids Panto raises funds so that theatre production companies can add a student matinee to their performance schedule. Give Kids Panto supply the bus, organize the bus and buy the tickets to the performance for these shows.
For tickets, visit www.Ticketmaster.com/PantoPasadena or call 626-449-7360.
