American pantomime

American pantomime, panto for short, refers to works of theatrical entertainment that have been presented in the United States of America since 1876. The works are derived from the entertainment genre of pantomime that developed in England, presented either as they are in Britain or adapted for the American stage and tailored to American audiences. Pantomime in America, as in England, is usually performed at Christmas time. The entertainments, aimed at families, are based on nursery stories and fairy tales, and they incorporate songs (traditional, popular and new), slapstick comedy, often topical jokes, magic, some cross-dressing, local references, audience participation, and mild adult innuendo.

For the theatre form involving silent gestures and imaginary props, see Mime.
"HUMPTY DUMPTY", 1868 New York
Styles of Lucy, Lady Duff-Gordon, used in a vaudeville circuit pantomime, sketched by Marguerite Martyn, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, April 1918

Although pantomime was not frequently produced in the US during the 20th century and is not well known in America, productions of pantomime, both professional and amateur, have been seen nearly every year somewhere in the US over the past couple of decades.

History in America

The earliest known pantomime in the U.S. was Robinson Crusoe produced at St. John's Theatre, New York in 1786.[1] A production at Olympic Theatre in New York of Humpty Dumpty ran for over 1,200 performances in 1868, becoming one of the most successful American pantomimes.[2]

American pantomime today

American pantomime, like the British pantomime, incorporates audience participation.[3]

In 1993 there was a production of Cinderella at the UCLA Freud Theatre, starring Zsa Zsa Gabor.[4] Pantomonium Productions has produced pantomimes annually in New York City since 2004.[5] Stages Repertory Theatre in Houston, Texas, has been performing original pantomime-style musicals during the Christmas holidays since 2008: Panto Sleeping Beauty, Panto Pinocchio, Panto Red Riding Hood, Panto Mother Goose and Panto Goldilocks.[6] Since 2004, People's Light and Theatre Company, in Malvern, Pennsylvania, has been presenting an annual Christmas pantomime season.[3]

Lythgoe Family Productions has produced pantomimes each winter since 2010 in California. Their first production was Cinderella in North Hollywood, starring Jerry Mathers and Freddie Stroma.[7] This was followed in 2011 by A Snow White Christmas, starring Marina Sirtis as The Wicked Queen and Neil Patrick Harris as The Magic Mirror,[8] and A Cinderella Christmas, starring Fred Willard as Baron Hardup, Cinderella's father.[9] In 2012, the company mounted A Snow White Christmas at the Pasadena Playhouse, starring Ariana Grande as Snow White, Charlene Tilton as The Wicked Queen and Neil Patrick Harris again as The Magic Mirror.[10] The production drew 13,000 ticket buyers. "Aladdin" was scheduled for the 2013 holiday season at Pasadena.[11]

gollark: What? Why was it twice as fast if it wasn't actually on the GPU?
gollark: It's fine, I totally haven't *run* this.
gollark: It's saying indoors again.
gollark: I think it's trying to write a poll?
gollark: I guess this makes it seem more like an article of some kind about cats.

References
  1. "The origin of popular pantomime stories", Victoria and Albert Museum website, accessed 10 February 2013
  2. "The History of Pantomime", It's-Behind-You.com, 2002, accessed 10 February 2013
  3. Cantell, Mary. "People’s Light & Theatre presents 10th Holiday Panto – Cinderella: A Musical Panto", Montgomery News, November 15, 2013
  4. "Zsa Zsa Gabor in Panto Cinderella". LA Times. 1993-12-14.
  5. "About Pantomonium", Pantomonium.org, accessed December 8, 2014
  6. "Stages' Panto Mother Goose". broadwayworld.com. 2012-11-27.; "Preview: Panto Cinderella is a British Tradition". Houston Chronicle. 2008-12-08.; "Panto Bring Texas Laughs to British Genre". Houston Chronicle. 2009-11-09.; "Panto Mine: A New Holiday Tradition Takes Hold in Houston". CultureMap. 2009-12-10.
  7. "Lythgoe Family Productions Presents CINDERELLA, 11/27-12/19". broadwayworld.com. 2010-09-28.
  8. "Panto Baby: A Snow White Christmas opens Nov. 30th". British Weekly. 2011-11-26.
  9. "Theater review: Cinderella Christmas at the El Portal". LA Times. 2011-12-23.
  10. "A Snow White Christmas puts Southern California imprint on British theater tradition". LA Times. 2012-12-11.
  11. "Pasadena Playhouse Mike Stoller and wife gave crucial $1 million". LA Times. 2013-01-23.
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