In the tradition of such yuletide yarns as The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, Don We Now Our Gay Apparel and, Don We Now MORE Gay Apparel, comes GAYS IN TOYLAND, a brand-new Pandora holiday production that will transport you back in time to those oh-so-magical childhood moments when dreams of all things wonderful waiting beneath the Christmas tree occupied your minds for months!
This musical comedy with a sentimental streak tells the story of Babes In Toyland, a toyshop owned and operated by a kindly toymaker who takes in old and rejected toys, as well as specialty toys; those that have either been discarded by boys and girls or were not assembled quite like the more popular ones. Not knowing, nor caring, that they are different, an assortment of these toys enjoy a wonderful life together with the toymaker, singing, dancing and performing skits and sketches until one day the toyshop is vandalized, revealing the cruelties of the outside world and an ugly threat to their joyful existence.
GAYS IN TOYLAND is from an original idea by Michael J. Drury and written by Jim Hesselman. The cast includes Pandora favorites Laura Ellis, Susan Crocker, Joe Hatfield, Alex Craig, Jason Cooper, Julie Zielinski, Kate Holland, Mike Fryman, Robbie Lewis and Patrick Brophy. Presented at the Victor Jory Theatre at Actors Theatre, 316 West Main Street, Downtown Louisville, December 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, and 11 @ 7:30 p.m., with one matinee on Saturday, December 10, at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $18 in advance, $20 day of show. All tickets may be purchased by visiting http://PandoraProds.org or by calling 502.216.5502.
About Pandora: Pandora Productions, founded in 1995 in Louisville, Kentucky, represents the transformational power of theatre. Its mission is to entertain, engage and inspire its audiences, the community, and the greater human communities by presenting bold, cutting-edge theatrical productions that reveal The Commonality of all people while investigating the diversity of human nature, particularly the nature of sexual orientation, through artistic expression. Pandora Productions is a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization that benefits largely from the generosity of the community. Donations are encouraged and welcomed, in any amount. Please visit http://PandoraProds.org for more information. Follow Pandora on Facebook at facebook.com/pandoraproductions and hear us ‘tweet' on Twitter at twitter.com/pandoraprods.
About Jim Hesselman: Actor/director/playwright Hesselman has acted in, written and/or directed over 150 productions at Derby Dinner Playhouse and runs his own Production Company, Theatre Island Productions. He has performed all across the U.S. and has written 14 children's musicals, as well as co-writing the gospel musical comedies, Peace In The Valley and Sing Hallelujah!, which broke box office records at Derby Dinner Playhouse this past September. As an actor, Hesselman most recently toured in the 20th Anniversary of the original Nunsense starring Kaye Ballard, Lee Meriwether, Georgia Engel, Mimi Hines and Darlene Love. That experience yielded new friendships and another career turn as an author. Hesselman's memoir with Ms. Ballard, How I Lost 10 Pounds In 53 Years, was published in September and he is currently collaborating with Meriwether on her biography, as well as on a manuscript with legendary television pioneer William Asher, director of comedy classics I Love Lucy and Bewitched.
