Rapornzel

The bawdy, silly, and immensely entertaining adult pantos by Britain’s Tom Whalley have become a popular holiday season tradition at PrideArts, and the company will continue this tradition with its fourth Whalley panto – RAPORNZEL. Like its PrideArts predecessors JACK OFF THE BEANSTALK, SLEEPING WITH BEAUTY, and THROBBIN WOOD, RAPORNZEL will fracture a famous fairy tale with unimaginable R-rated puns, pop songs, and audience participation, all adding up to an outrageously good time. RAPORNZEL will be directed by Claire Hart Proepper of Laughing Stock Theatre, the Evanston based theatre company specializing in Commedia dell’arte. The Italian tradition of Commedia dell’arte, which flourished in the 16th Century, was an influence on the genre of British pantos in its use of improvision, exaggerated characters, slapstick comedy, and audience participation. Proepper’s experience in performing and directing Commedia dell’arte makes her uniquely qualified to bring the anarchic humor of Whalley’s panto to life.