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Affairs + Comics + Reader Photos * Travel + SoCal + California + Mexico + Hawaii + Las Vegas + Europe + Asia + Australia + Travel & Deal Blog * Opinion + Editorials + Op-Ed + Letters + Opinion L.A. + Readers' Rep + Endorsements * Deals + Daily Deals + LAT Store + Sports Gear + Travel + Offers & Deals + Legal Notices * Membership Services * Jobs * Cars * Real Estate * Subscribe * Rentals * Weekly Circulars * Custom Publishing * Place Ad * TRENDING NOW [72833229.png] * thom browne * new mexico shooting * Obama inauguration * Algeria * Super Bowl 2013 * ____________________ Submit * ____________________ Submit Advanced Search Advanced Search X * include all of these words: ____________________ * include any of these words: ____________________ * include this exact phrase: ____________________ * exclude: ____________________ * (_) Select a date range [past 30 days.] * (_) Create a custom date range From: ____________________ To: ____________________ * Search Review: Jokes and songs awake 'A Snow White Christmas' * print * Comments 0 * * 'A Snow White Christmas' "A Snow White Christmas" at Pasadena Playhouse stars Ariana Grande, right, and Charlene Tilton. (Philicia Endelman / December 13, 2012) * Also * Arts and culture in pictures by The Times Photos: Arts and culture in pictures by The Times * 'A Snow White Christmas' puts Southern California imprint on British theater tradition 'A Snow White Christmas' puts Southern California imprint on British theater tradition By David C. Nichols December 13, 2012, 11:42 a.m. English pantomime comes to Pasadena with a sitcom wink, a Top 40 backbeat and enough topical in-jokes to make Jon Stewart woozy in "A Snow White Christmas." This larky take on the classic fairy tale, which opened at the Pasadena Playhouse on Wednesday, isn't exactly high art, but that won't hinder the enjoyment of undemanding audiences. The brainchild of Lythgoe Family Productions -- son Kris wrote the script, mom Bonnie directs and paterfamilias Nigel turns up in a video cameo -- "Snow White" seeks to Americanize the essentials of the panto tradition. Current-day song hits intertwine with frolicsome choreography (courtesy of Spencer Liff) and shrewd participatory maneuvers that ensure the house's involvement with the action. Accordingly, we cheer the titular heroine (Nickelodeon star Ariana Grande, unaffected and soaring of vocals), boo the Wicked Queen of North Hollywood ("Dallas" fixture Charlene Tilton, channeling Mae West on Red Bull) and watch court jester Muddles (the lithe, improv-quick Jonathan Meza) benignly flirting with front-row girls and trading vaudeville shtick with Herman the Huntsman (big-voiced David Figlioli). PHOTOS: Arts and culture by The Times There's a handsome swain, Prince Harry of Hancock Park (Curt Hansen, toothsome and tongue-in-cheek), seven Fat Tuesday-headed dwarfs, a show-stealing miniature pony named Blitzen (Little Man, destined for equine greatness) and, naturally, a Magic Mirror (a droll, video-projected Neil Patrick Harris, who has likely never had a cushier gig). Song choices, though a tad jarring amid the uncredited storybook sets, Verilite swirls and lavish costumes (designed by Julia Clancey, Keev Guessford and Donna Maas) will appeal to the postmillennial generation. Snow White arrives with Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" and bemoans her fate to Katy Perry's "Firework"; the dwarfs cavort to "Lazy Song"; Prince Harry croons "The Power of Love"; the queen conspires to "Thriller" and "Bad Things"; and so forth, right up to the group singalong and "Celebration" finale. It's all harmless fun, although the jokes grow sophomoric, even fairy tales require a measure of actual threat for their happy endings to fully register, and the absence of a holiday standard seems curious. Still, if "A Snow White Christmas" is closer to countless theme-park shows than traditional panto, it will certainly enchant its targeted demographic while giving their parents a respite from the umpteenth "Nutcracker" and "Christmas Carol" on tap. "A Snow White Christmas," Pasadena Playhouse, 39 S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena. 7 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, 11 a.m., 3 and 7 p.m. Saturdays, 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Sundays. No shows Dec. 18-19. Ends Dec. 30. $22-$72. (626) 356-7529 or www.PasadenaPlayhouse.org. Running time: 2 hours, 5 minutes. ALSO: Charles Rosen dies at 85; pianist wrote 'The Classical Style' Al Pacino in 'Glengarry Glen Ross': What did the critics think? Zubin Mehta's heady days as Los Angeles Philharmonic music director MORE INTERACTIVE: Christopher Hawthorne's On the Boulevards VOTE: What's the best version of 'O Holy Night'? PHOTOS: Arts and culture in pictures Copyright (c) 2013, Los Angeles Times * print * Comments 0 * * Comments (0) Add comments | Discussion FAQ Currently there are no comments. Be the first to comment! Comments are filtered for language and registration is required. The Times makes no guarantee of comments' factual accuracy. 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