Laguna Playhouse Artistic Director Ann E. Wareham, Executive Director Ellen Richard and Lythgoe Family Panto (LFP) are thrilled to announce that LINCOLN CLAUSS (Broadway’s Bat Out of Hell) will star as “Peter Pan,” DAKOTA LOTUS (Disney’s “Coop & Cami Ask The World”) will star as “John Darling, ” BRYCE CHARLES (Pasadena Playhouse Ragtime, The Book of Mormon) will star as “Wendy Darling,” BEN GIROUX (“Back to the 90s,” Nickelodeon’s “Henry Danger”) will star as “Smee” and CLARICE ORDAZ (“So You Think You Can Dance”) will star as “Tiger Lily” in Lythgoe Family Panto’s PETER PAN AND TINKER BELL: A PIRATES’ CHRISTMAS, written by Kris Lythgoe, with choreography by Kitty McNamee, musical direction by Doug Peck and directed by BT McNicholl.  They will join the previously announced TV and Broadway actor John O’Hurley (“Seinfeld,” “Dancing with the Stars,” Broadway’s Chicago) starring as “Captain Hook” and Ashley Argota (Laguna Playhouse Beauty and the Beast: A Christmas Rose) starring as “Tinker Bell.”  PETER PAN AND TINKER BELL: A PIRATES’ CHRISTMAS will begin performances on Wednesday, December 4 and run through Sunday, December 29, 2019 with a press opening on Thursday, December 5 at 7:00 pm at the Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach. Casting is led by LFP Producer Becky Lythgoe. 

PETER PAN AND TINKER BELL: A PIRATES’ CHRISTMAS is a singing, swashbuckling adventure performed in the high-flying style of a British holiday Panto. Take off on a wild quest with Tinker Bell, Wendy and Peter Pan as they try to put a stop to the plot of some dastardly pirates who plan to kidnap Peter as a present to Captain Hook. Filled with big laughs, magic, dancers and contemporary songs by everyone from Taylor Swift to The Bee Gees, this family show has a little bit of something for everyone. 

ABOUT THE CAST
LINCOLN CLAUSS (Peter Pan) will be making his West Coast Debut at the Laguna Playhouse in this production. He recently appeared in Jim Steinman’s Bat Out of Hell at New York City Center. Other Credits include: Bat Out of Hell (Toronto), Burn All Night (A.R.T.), Borderline (Eugene O’Neill Theater Center), Evocation to Visible Appearance (Actors Theater of Louisville, Humana Festival), Iron & Coal (Strathmore). Lincoln is a proud Alum of Ball State University. 

DAKOTA LOTUS (John Darling) stars as Cooper “Coop” Wrather, an optimistic and charismatic middle school student who runs his own live web show featuring out-of-the-box “Would You Rather-type” questions, in Disney Channel’s family sitcom “Coop & Cami Ask the World.” He has performed with musical greats such as Andrea Bocelli, David Foster, Katy Perry and Kenny Loggins. His stage credits also include performing as Ren in “Celebrating the Music of Footloose,” the 35th Anniversary concert featuring songs from the iconic movie, re-envisioned by Loggins. In his spare time, he enjoys writing and playing music, dancing, and parkour. He is currently working on new music, including an EP which will be released in 2020. 

BRYCE CHARLES (Wendy Darling) earned her BFA in Musical Theatre from AMDA College and Conservatory. She has toured with the Tony award-winning musical The Book of Mormon and recently filmed a TV Pilot for ABC called “Woman Up!.” Other credits include: Sarah in Ragtime at The Pasadena PlayhouseJOHN O’HURLEY (Captain Hook) is best known as J. Peterman on “Seinfeld,” the #1 syndicated television show in the world, for which he won a Screen Actor’s Guild Award. Most recently starring in the comedy feature “Swing Away,” John can also be seen on the ABC hit “Dancing with the Stars,” ABC’s “Dance-Off!” and as the host of “Family Feud.” He is one of the most recognizable voices on TV, appearing in dozens of animated productions including Nickelodeon’s “SpongeBob SquarePants” and NBC’s “Father of the Pride.” O’Hurley’s first CD, “Peace of Our Minds,” a collaboration of his piano compositions with world-renowned cellist Marston Smith, debuted #13 on Billboard. His stage credits include starring roles in the national tours of Chicago, Spamalot, Pirates of Penzance, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Brigadoon. He is a New York Times bestselling author with three titles, including “The Perfect Dog,” which is becoming a stage musical. Most recently, John has a recurring role on the Lifetime series “Devious Maids,” opposite Susan Lucci.  

ASHLEY ARGOTA (Tinker Bell) Best known for her roles on TV shows such as “True Jackson, VP,” “The Fosters,” “Lab Rats,” and “How To Build A Better Boy.” She toured nationally in The Lion King as Young Nala and became the youngest performer ever to win five times in a row at “Amateur Night at the Apollo,” which led to her becoming a “Star of Tomorrow” at “Showtime at the Apollo.” In addition to shooting films (“Cover Versions”) and TV shows (“Girl Meets World,” “Liberty Crossing”), she has starred as Juliet in Romeo & Juliet: Love Is A Battlefield, as multiple Disney Princesses in the Lythgoe Family Panto’s, and in the UMPO Series at Rockwell Table & Stage. She recently played Shelby in the Garry Marshall Theatre production of The Spitfire Grill, directed by Dimitri Toscas.  

The Ensemble will feature (in alphabetical order): Aubrey Abella, Ava Abeyta, Jaedon Diaz, Cedric Dodd, Raymond Ejiofor, Casa G., Pressley Hosbach, Angel Inniss, Charissa Kroeger, Katie Lam, Mattie Peters, Rylee Reno, Nicholas Saulis and Baden Silva. 

ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM
BT McNICHOLL (Director) has served on the creative teams of twelve Broadway plays and musicals including the Tony-winning hits Cabaret, Spamalot and Billy Elliot with master directors Mike Nichols, Sam Mendes, Jerry Zaks, Stephen Daldry and Rob Marshall. Internationally, he directed the European premiere of The Producers for Stage Entertainment, won the Helpmann Award (the Australian “Tony”) for Best Direction in 2003, and made his directorial debut in London last season at the Menier Chocolate Factory.  He has staged award-winning shows for Goodspeed, Walnut Street Theatre, and Ogunquit Playhouse and international tours for Disney/Feld.  He is a BMI Award-winning lyricist and published playwright whose musicals have played Off-Broadway, Madison Square Garden and across the United States. Formerly associated with MGM’s theatrical division, he is currently the Producing Artistic Director of the Tony-nominated La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts in Los Angeles.    

KITTY McNAMEE (Choreographer) Recent work includes LA Opera’s La Traviata and Tales of Hoffman, Sense and Sensibility at South Coast Rep, LA Philharmonic’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Target’s “A New Kind of Strong” campaign, Secret Cinema’s groundbreaking live performances with Laura Marling in London and The Fantasticks at Pasadena Playhouse. Her first film, “The Yellow Room,” screened at over twenty-four festivals world-wide. Kitty began her career as the Artistic Director of “Hysterica Dance Co.,” a consistently prolific and creative collective that redefined dance in Los Angeles. She has created for Paz Vega, Julianne Hough, Margaret Cho, Vanessa Williams, Vittorio Grigolo, Lily Tomlin, Anna Netrebko, Rolando Villazon and “Lizzie Borden” for Lifetime as well as for multiple music artists. Kitty collaborated with music icon Easy Mike to create a new hip/hop ballet of On the Waterfront for Muse/ique. Opera credits include Tales of Hoffman, Lucia de Lammermoor, Don Carlo and La Rondine for LA Opera; La Traviata for LA Opera, San Francisco Opera and San Diego Opera; Romeo and Juliette for LA Opera and Lyric Opera of Chicago. She has a long and fruitful relationship with the LA Philharmonic, where she has choreographed, directed, and developed new productions including Esa-Pekka Salonen’s Wing on Wing.  

DOUG PECK (Musical Direction) is a Los Angeles-based, multi-genre musical director, pianist, conductor, orchestrator, arranger, vocal teacher/coach, and educator. He conducted the original full orchestration of Carousel at the Glimmerglass Festival and created new Indian-jazz fusion arrangements and orchestrations for the stage version of Disney’s The Jungle Book seen in Chicago and Boston. He has won six Joseph Jefferson Awards for his musical direction, as well as two After Dark Awards, the Guy Adkins Award, and the Sarah Siddons Award. He served as musical supervisor for the hit off-Broadway musical Ride The Cyclone and is co-creator of the Goodman Theatre’s unique free musical theatre program for talented high school students who would not otherwise have access to conservatory training.  

ABOUT LYTHGOE FAMILY PANTO
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 fairy tales and others, each story has been modernized with topical scripts for parents and well-known pop songs for kids. The Lythgoes pride themselves on creating a memorable experience a family can share together.
 
PETER PAN AND TINKER BELL: A PIRATES’ CHRISTMAS marks Lythgoe Family Panto’s fifth production at the venerable Laguna Playhouse. Past Pantos at Laguna Playhouse include Beauty and the Beast: A Christmas Rose starring Ashley Argota and Thomas Hobson, Aladdin and His Winter Wish starring Kira Kosarin and Barry Pearl, Sleeping Beauty and her Winter Knight starring Cozi Zuehlsdorff and Joely Fisher & A Snow White Christmas starring Marina Sirtis and Lindsay Pearce. As part of the organization’s ongoing commitment to develop theatre for young audiences, Lythgoe Family Panto together with Laguna Playhouse will bring the magic of Panto to hundreds of underserved children who attend school in Orange County.  

ABOUT THE SCHEDULE AND PRICING
PETER PAN AND TINKER BELL: A PIRATES’ CHRISTMAS previews on Wednesday, December 4; will open on Thursday, December 5 at 7:00 pm and runs through Sunday, December 29, 2019 at the Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach. 

Performances are Wednesdays; Thursdays and Fridays at 7:00 pm; Saturdays & Sundays at 12:00 pm & 4:00 pm.  

There will be added performances on Thursday, December 12 at 11:00 am & Saturday, December 14 at 11:00 am; 3:00 pm & 7:00 pm; Sunday, December 22 at 11:00 am; 3:00 pm & 7:00 pm; Monday, December 23 at 12:00 pm & 4:00 pm; Thursday, December 26 & Friday, December 27 at 3:00 pm.  

Tickets range from $41 – $76 and can be purchased online at www.lagunaplayhouse.com or by calling (949) 497-ARTS (2787). Group discounts are available by calling 949-497-2787 ext. 229.  Prices subject to change.      

The box office is open Mondays – Saturdays: 11a.m. to 5 p.m. (open until showtime on performance days); Sundays: 11a.m. – 4p.m. 
                
For more information on all shows and programming visit www.lagunaplayhouse.com.  LAGUNA PLAYHOUSE is located at 606 Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach.   

To schedule press interviews, photos or press comps, please contact David Elzer/DEMAND PR at 818/508-1754 or by e-mail at davidelzer@me.com.       

Founded in 1920, the historic Laguna Playhouse is one of the oldest continuously-operating not-for-profit theatres on the West Coast and is proud to be an active participant in the celebrated Laguna Beach arts community. From classic plays and musical comedies to the current off-Broadway smash, cutting edge and traditional music exhibitions, dance festivals and stand-up comedy performances, Laguna Playhouse brings the magical experience of the performing arts direct to over 80,000 patrons each season. 

Laguna Playhouse educational programming includes year-round classes, productions by and for children and teens (Youth Theatre) and is one of the few companies in the region that offer a curriculum-based professional theatre-touring program, TheatreReach, which aligns with the California State Standards for literature, history and performing arts curriculum. 

Laguna Playhouse has been recognized in 2017, 2016 and 2015 as one of Orange County Register’s “Best of OC” in the category of Live Theatre, and has been recognized by OC Hotlist in their “Best Theatre Group” winning first place in 2017 and 2016. The Laguna Playhouse has featured many talented performers on stage, including Ed Asner, Leslie Caron, Hershey Felder, Harrison Ford, Melanie Griffith, Val Kilmer, Gregory Harrison, Dan Lauria, Hal Linden, Wendie Malick, Rita Rudner, Charles Shaughnessy, French Stewart, Loretta Swit, and Bette Davis.

Learn What’s Going On at www.lagunaplayhouse.com. 

Calendar Listing:
PETER PAN AND TINKER BELL:
A PIRATES’ CHRISTMAS
Written by Kris Lythgoe
Musical Direction by Doug Peck
Choreography by Kitty McNamee
Directed by BT McNicholl

Previews: Wednesday, December 4 at 7:00pm
Opens: Thursday, December 5 at 7:00pm
Runs: Thursday, December 5 – Sunday, December 29, 2019
Performances will be Wednesdays through Fridays at 7:00 pm; Saturdays at 12:00 pm & 4:00 pm; Sundays at 12:00 pm & 4:00 pm.  

There will be added performances on Thursday, December 12 at
11:00 am & Saturday, December 14 at 11:00 am; 3:00 pm &
7:00 pm; Sunday, December 22 at 11:00 am, 3:00 pm & 7:00 pm; Monday, December 23 at 12:00 pm & 4:00 pm; Thursday, December 26 at 3:00 pm & Friday, December 27 at 3:00 pm.

LAGUNA PLAYHOUSE
606 Laguna Canyon Rd. in Laguna Beach, CA 

Tickets: $41.00 – $76.00

For tickets – visit www.lagunaplayhouse.com
or call 949-497-2787