The following is from Liz Herring
For the fifth straight year Suburban Legend brings you the perfect cure for the post-holiday blues with another uproarious play. Gadzooks! A Very Arthurian Pantomime at the Burgdorff Center for the Performing Arts in Maplewood.
Performances are Friday, January 6 & 13, 7:30 pm, Saturday, January 7 & 14, 7 pm, and Sunday, January 8 & 15, 2 pm. Tickets are $18 ($14 balcony) and can be purchased through www.brownpapertickets.com. As in previous years, proceeds from the show will go directly to local charities including St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center in Madison and Bridges Outreach in Summit.
This is an original play by Chrissy and Ridley McIntyre, who have penned a British-style Panto, this time offering a unique and hilarious take on the legend of King Arthur. This is Camelot as you’ve never seen it. In addition to the usual Arthurian suspects: Arthur and Merlin, Sir Lancelot and Guinevere, you’ll find a few new ones: Morganna and the Dark Knight, Katniss and Kale, Sir Loin and Sir Real.
A cross between a fairy tale and a vaudevillian stage show, the Panto is a British holiday tradition that offers fun for the whole family. In this production, you’ll find an Arthurian version of all your favorite Panto conventions: the Dame (played by a man in divine drag), the Principal Boy (played by a girl, of course!), the back-and-forth calling between the actors and the audience, dancing, and a silly song or two.
The production will be directed by Ridley McIntyre and is produced by Edward Ash-Milby, Kathleen Ash-Milby and Chrissy McIntyre.
And for the second year, Cat Delett of Cat Delett Art and Illustration has created a themed art show at the Burgdorff for the production’s run. Local artists are invited to submit work for Royalty: In the Eye of the Beholder by December 10. A portion of all sales will go to the charities listed above. For more information, go to www.facebook.com/events/1190921914264350/.
Gadzooks! is Suburban Legend’s fifth production in the series. Past Very British Pantomimes include the pirate adventure Arrrr!, the Alice in Wonderland-Sherlock Holmes mash-up Wotcha! Gotcha!, Robin Hood, and last year’s Wild West-themed Last Chance Saloon.
“What I love most about doing this show is being part of a group of people who so generously give their time and talents to the cause,” says Chrissy McIntyre. “From our delightful choreographer to the high school musicians who will be playing live during the show to the artists who participate in our gallery and, of course, to the cast and all the crew, it is a very heartwarming experience. It keeps me coming back.”
