Introducing a New Bay Area Holiday Tradition

We know it’s been a hard year. We hope this sneak preview of “Aladdin,” the Presidio Theatre Performing Arts Center’s first annual “Panto in the Presidio” holiday performance, will lift your spirits. So, dust off your wig and warm up your vocal chords because this raucous, all-ages show is guaranteed to have the whole family out of their seats, heckling, cheering, and joining the actors on stage.

About “Panto in the Presidio”

An all-star team of theater icons is bringing a new holiday tradition to the San Francisco Bay Area in Winter 2021. The Presidio Theatre will present “Aladdin” as its first annual “Panto in the Presidio,” featuring work by Grammy and Emmy award-winning comedy writer and musician Mason Williams (“Classical Gas,” “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour,” and “Saturday Night Live”), and Musical Direction by Bill Keck.

Panto is a popular UK holiday tradition that presents a highly interactive and comedic musical re-telling of a well-known children’s story or fairytale. Pantos are beloved for their original songs and musical parodies, outlandish costumes, slapstick, and political satire. Many pantos star a Panto Dame as a lead character, usually dressed in drag. Panto audiences are encouraged to dress up for the performance, to get out of their seats, and get involved in the play as they boo for the villains, cheer for the heroes and heroines, and sometimes even find themselves up on stage with the actors.

The “Panto in the Presidio” promotional video was created by the following team:

CAST:
Curt Bannon – Widow Twankey
Renée Lubin-Holmes – The Genie

PRODUCTION:
Peggy Haas – Producer
Kenny Mazlow – Director
Bill Keck – Music Director and Co-Script Writer
Mason Williams – Voice of God and Co-Script Writer
David Murakami – Director of Photography
Sean Riley – Production Designer
Alina Bokovikova ­ – Costume Designer
Marina Agabekov– Costume Construction
Mitchell Erickson – Wig Design and Construction
Matt James – Prop Designer
Colby Jones – Craft Services
Julie Mushet – Creative Consultant

Presidio Theatre Staff:
Bob Martin – Executive Director
Jeff Gregory – Technical Director and Audio Editor
Patty Ann Farrell – Production Manager and Lighting Designer
Elle Ghini – Master Electrician
Dylan McMillan – House Audio Engineer
Dave Freitag – Stagehand
Marty McGee – House Projection/AV

Special thanks to Mason Williams for use of his song “Gypsy Noodle.”