It’s spooky, it’s sweet, it’s all in the Christmas spirit — Dancing Sky Theatre’s newest panto is adding a dark and fun tone to the merry and bright season.
“Franken-Panto,” the newest iteration of Dancing Sky Theatre’s annual holiday panto tradition, takes the stage from Dec. 5 to 21. As the name suggests, the show is extending beyond Christmas for inspiration, blending elements of Frankenstein with The Gingerbread Man.
The result is a family-friendly show that adds Halloween-ish touches to the holiday season in the same vein as A Nightmare Before Christmas. The story follows baker Frank N. Stein (played by Kevin Moxley) as he dreams of making the best cookie for everyone.
“Things don’t go exactly as planned and the giant gingerbread cookie comes to life and takes over the town,” said Crispi Lord, cast member and artistic director of Wide Open Children’s Theatre. “You’re going to see big, bold characters and a creepy Christmas story. We’re going to get you in on the fun.”
Pantos come from British theatrical tradition, usually featuring music and comedy and often putting a twist on a well-known story or fairy tale. This show, which comes from a partnership between Dancing Sky and Wide Open Children’s Theatre, is no different.
“Franken-Panto” includes music, audience participation, returning Saskatchewan actors, and features original puppets and puppetry that Wide Open Children’s Theatre is well-known for. The giant Gingerbread Man himself is a larger-than-life puppet controlled by Lord.
Kevin Moxley, who plays the hapless baker, is participating in his first Dancing Sky panto and said the show is all about having fun.
“We get to make our own rules in this show and it’s so fun to play with each other and the audience,” he said. “This is all about play with each other and the audience. We get to break the fourth wall, talk to the crowd, and improvise. It’s like walking on a tightrope each time… scary but fun.”
Despite having a spookier tone than your average Christmas story, Dancing Sky artistic director Angus Ferguson said plenty of Christmas favourites already feature ghosts and the like (just think of classics like A Christmas Carol).
And even with a different tone, Ferguson said the panto tradition that Dancing Sky has brought to the community again and again is alive and well. It might look a little different than it has in the past, but the heart of the panto — bringing people together to celebrate theatre and the season — is still at the centre of this show.
“It’s all about heart,” Ferguson said. “That Christmas isn’t about making things perfect, it’s about being together. We can’t wait for the audience to come and join the fun.””Franken-Panto” runs until Dec. 21 at Dancing Sky Theatre in Meacham. Tickets can be found at ontheboards.ca.
