The Lythgoe Family Productions' annual pantos have become a tradition for my daughter and me. Quick primer: pantos are a British Christmastime staple. These seasonal productions use a mix of pop and classic songs to retell classic fairy tales. Archetypical characters abound (princess, prince, villain), and audience participation is a must. Irreverence is the word of the day, and anything goes if it gets a laugh. (Or a groan. Groans will do just fine.)

This year’s offering draws on the classic tale of Beauty and the Beast. Belle is every bit as smart as she is beautiful and has no interest in Gus, aka The Sexiest Man in Pasadena (squeel!). When her father is taken captive by the Beast, Belle offers herself up in exchange for her father’s freedom. It turns out Beast and all his servants have been cursed, and only true love can set them free. The show intersperses Broadway-quality production numbers with frivolity, silly humor, and interactive play, making the time fly by. 

This show is not an adaptation of the Disney property, though it does borrow shamelessly from elements of the films (shamelessness being a hallmark of panto). And though there are many familiar songs in the production, none is from the Ashman/Menken soundtrack (no “Be Our Guest” or “Tale as Old as Time”). A few of the songs you will hear are "The Climb" (Miley Cyrus), "Animals" and "Moves Like Jagger" (Maroon 5), and "Thunder" (Imagine Dragons). There are a few 80s/90s tunes thrown in for us old people as well.

As per usual, the defining element of these pantos is talent. The cast is drawn from Disney Channel stars, Broadway veterans, reality competition show finalists, and “keep an eye on them” kids.

Belle is played by Kelli Berglund, best known for Disney XD's Lab Rats. Her Belle is gentle yet sophisticated; the kids around me rallied enthusiastically to her support, and all named her as their favorite character in the show.

For Beast, we have Jonah Platt. Initially a fearsome and intimidating stage presence, his true character emerges as Beast’s heart softens. And as he sheds his brutish nature, his true talent shines through. (Like his TONY-award-winning brother Ben, Jonah has starred on Broadway!)

Broadway veteran James Snyder stars as Gus, Belle's would-be suitor and the Sexiest Man in Pasadena (squee!!). His mistreatment of Belle and her father earned him the outrage of the kids in the audience (my daughter was shouting at his character the way I shout at drivers on the 405).  (All, er, good words).

Other familiar faces round out the engaging cast, including John Tartaglia (from Johnny and the Sprites!) as Louis Vuitton, and Gede Watanabe (16 Candles) as Belle’s father. My daughter is always inspired to see the young members of the dance troupe perform. They are not much older than she is, and they have, well, the moves like Jagger.

A limited number of golden tickets are sold for each performance. An additional $60 gets your kid on stage for a brief Q&A followed by a singalong, with a goodie bag to take home. 

A few quick caveats: some of the younger kids in the audience found the early scenes with Beast too intense; he roars with anger, his voice altered to a deep growl. As he warms to Belle, his voice softens as well. Likewise, the troupe of wolves that attacks various characters caused one of the kids near me to hide his face and even ask to leave. (He was reassured and, sure enough, quickly got over his initial fear). Characters sometimes make entrances running up the aisles from the back of the auditorium, which can be a little startling. Other potential triggers for sensitive kids include the loud squeals the audience is prodded to make every time Gus is introduced as "The Sexiest Man in Pasadena" (squee!!).  

The production this year has moved to the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, so panto veterans might want to double check the address to make sure they end up in the right place. Arrive early for crafts and photo ops,  with Santa appearing on selected days.

Lythgoe Family Panto's Beauty and the Beast - A Christmas Rose runs through December 24, 2017.  Additional productions of Lythgoe Pantos are currently running in Laguna Beach and San Diego.