Sally Struthers and Darcy Rose Byrnes return to the Playhouse stage for Rapunzel and Her Holiday Wish
By MARRIE STONE
Photos by Jason Niedle
It’s that time of year to round up the kids, let down your hair and enjoy a lighthearted day at the theater. For the ninth year, Lythgoe Family Productions is staging their annual holiday panto at the Laguna Playhouse in what has become one of our town’s treasured holiday traditions. This year, for the first time, Rapunzel (and her five miles of hair) hits the stage. For fans of Disney’s Tangled – or anyone who enjoys a boisterous, rollicking and hilarious new take on an old tale – you’re in for a special treat.
Everyone is invited into the action as Rapunzel tries to escape from her tower and the wicked Madame Gothel. All she needs is her own strength, resilience and hair – and a prince from Newport Beach. Her only goal? To make her way to the Kingdom of Laguna for the Festival of Lights.
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Larry Saperstein (center) stars with the company of the Laguna Playhouse and Lythgoe Family Productions’ world premiere of “Rapunzel and her Holiday Wish,” directed by Becky Lythgoe and now playing at the Laguna Playhouse
For theatergoers unfamiliar with panto, the British tradition dates back 300 years. Pantos retell traditional fairy tales with updated songs, dances, local insider humor and a big heap of audience participation. By making the audience another character in the production, pantos are a perfect way to introduce young children to live theater.
“When you strip away that reverence of having to sit still and just watch, I feel like you can hook kids in,” said Director Becky Lythgoe. “We want them to know it’s okay to wiggle around and dance in the aisle.”
This year, even the cast is experiencing panto for the first time. “Every single principal in our show has never done a panto before,” Lythgoe said. “It’s been exciting to teach a whole new group about the tradition and teach them the pacing and the interactions.”
Fortunately, they come to their roles naturally. Darcy Rose Byrnes, best known at the Playhouse for her role in Reefer Madness, plays Rapunzel. Not only does Byrnes have a background in musical theater, but she sports her own Rapunzel-length hair. “She’s also one of the most gifted vocalists I’ve ever heard,” Lythgoe added.
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Darcy Rose Byrnes (Rapunzel) and L.J. Benet, who plays Prince Sebastian of Newport Beach
As a musical comedian and a veteran at audience interaction, Byrnes says she’s prepared for whatever kids might throw at her this year (though hopefully not literally). After doing Reefer Madness, there’s not much she hasn’t seen. “You don’t know what the show is until the audience is in the room with you, yelling, cheering, booing and being part of the story,” Byrnes said. “That’s how you get kids interested in theater, by making it their show. I’m excited to give that to them.”
And, of course, there’s Sally Struthers (who plays the evil Madame Gothel). Known for her long-running role as Gloria in the 1970s sitcom All in the Family, Struthers hasn’t appeared on the Playhouse stage since 2002 when she starred in the Patsy Cline Musical.
“We’ve tried to do a panto together for years, but she’s never been available,” Lythgoe said. “Before we even solidified the show this year, we knew we wanted her.”
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(L-R) Sally Struthers and Darcy Rose Byrnes star in “Rapunzel and her Holiday Wish”
Working with Struthers has been a dream for Byrnes, who’s learning from her “casual wit” and seemingly effortless style.
“Very often in life, you don’t know what’s important until it’s over. You look back and realize those moments in hindsight,” Byrnes said. “That’s not what happened here. The moment I met (Struthers) and began working with her, I knew I needed to pay attention. Not just to her talent – because she’s a comedic mastermind – but to who she is as a person. I knew I was experiencing something that would mean a lot to me for the rest of my life. I’ve been taking moments to really enjoy that.”
Part of the prep for an interactive show is improvising and ad-libbing with your castmates. Those behind-the-scenes moments are a daily part of rehearsals. “I make sure to sit in the audience to watch Sally do her monologue, because every choice she makes is amazing. Her physicality. The way she takes one line and performs it five ways, with each version funny for different reasons. Watching her milk every moment and find these oddities within the lines themselves, and the way she plays with them, it’s wonderful.”
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Darcy Rose Byrne has taken this opportunity to learn more about the art of improv from her co-star, comedic pro Sally Struthers
Unlike fairy tales of yore, new technology makes for more interesting sets. So much hair! So many ages for Madame Gothel – who is both 30 and 319 years old! “With the power of the hair, Madame Gothel continually makes herself 30. So, we have a little trickery, since Sally falls in between those ages,” Lythgoe said.
But aside from all the jokes, jeers, interactive acting and cool sets, there’s the important underlying theme of the tale, which is timeless and especially important this year.
“Rapunzel’s resilience and the idea of her literally breaking out of the confines of a tower – along with the other characters’ journeys of breaking free and persevering through hardships – is a great message for people to hear right now,” Lythgoe said. “Come prepared to be a part of it.”
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“Rapunzel and her Holiday Wish” is now on the Laguna Playhouse stage through Sunday, Dec. 29
Rapunzel and her Holiday Wish runs through Sunday, Dec. 29.
Tickets range from $44-$84 for adults and $37-$69 for children 2-14. There is a $50 “Golden Ticket” add-on option for a special onstage sing-along experience during the performance and a gift bag with special surprises.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit their website by clicking here.
Laguna Playhouse is located at 606 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach.
