Drayton Entertainment announces youth auditions for Holiday Panto

ST. JACOBS – Drayton Entertainment  recently announced Children’s Chorus auditions for Wizard of Oz: The Panto, which will be on stage this holiday season in St. Jacobs. 

Auditions will take place on stage at the St. Jacobs Country Playhouse on Sept. 18. Advance registration is required.

Aspiring young performers, ages nine to 15, are encouraged to attend. 

Dancing, singing, and acting experience are an asset and preferred. Hopefuls are asked to learn the song indicated on the audition registration page online. 

The young performers will be taught a dance combination to that song at the audition, and then perform the song and dance in small groups for members of our creative team. 

For complete details, or to register, visit www.draytonentertainment.com/Online/Article/youth-auditions-2022.

“It is our pleasure to showcase the vast young talent in this community,” said Alex Mustakas, artistic director of Drayton Entertainment. 

“We look forward to giving many aspiring young performers the chance to be on stage and learn from professional artists.”

To accommodate the demands of this grand-scale production, and to provide opportunities for as many youth as possible, the chosen performers will be divided into teams and will perform in the Children’s Chorus on a rotating schedule with professional actors in the lead roles.

The creative team is led by director and choreographer David Connolly, who helmed the previous panto productions of Jack and the Beanstalk, Cinderella, Aladdin, Snow White and Peter Pan.

Connolly is joined by music director Steve Thomas, set designer Jean Claude Olivier, costume designer Rachel Berchtold, lighting designer Kevin Fraser, and stage manager Amber Archbell.  

Wizard of Oz: The Panto is written by Emma Houldershaw and Samantha Cartwright.

Rehearsals for Wizard of Oz: The Panto will begin mid-November at the St. Jacobs Country Playhouse. 

The production will run from Dec. 1 to 31. 

Children cast in the production must attend all rehearsals and performances assigned to their team.

Based on the beloved movie, Wizard of Oz: The Panto tells the story of Dorothy and the Yellow Brick Road… with a brand new twist! 

With its winning combination of incredible music, lively dancing, outrageous costumes, audience participation, and of course, a dash of theatrical magic, this fractured fairy tale brims with humour, heart, and adventure. 

Audiences of all ages will enjoy joining Dorothy as she journeys over the rainbow and makes her way to Oz with the help of some newfound friends.

Tickets are $53 for adults and $32 for youth under 20 years of age. Tickets for groups of 20 or more and select Discount Dates are $43. HST is applicable to all ticket prices. 

Tickets may be purchased online at www.draytonentertainment.com or by calling the box office at (519) 747-7788 or toll free at 1-855-drayton (372-9866).