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If you’re looking for some unusual family entertainment with the kids out of school, think about scooting on down to Fremont:

The Fremont Players and the Fremont Philharmonic Orchestra return to Hale’s Palladium with a brand new British Panto, Dick Whittington and his Cat, based on a true classic story.

A poor boy with only his cat for company, Dick arrives in the big City of London to seek his fame and fortune. There he encounters the evil and villainous King Rat on a mission to take over the world. With the help of Fairy Bowbells and Alice, his true love, Dick defeats the baddie and becomes the Lord Mayor of London!

Full of large, colorful characters, original songs, and plenty of audience participation, this year’s Panto is sure to entertain both young and old. You’ll be encouraged to boo at the villain, cheer for the hero, and sing along with Tommy the Cat.

A holiday tradition not to be missed! Stop by Hale’s Palladium, grab a drink and some food, and enter the raucous world of Panto!

If you’re not clear on what a “panto” is, Wikipedia tells us:

Pantomime (informally, panto), not to be confused with the theatrical medium of mime, is a form of musical comedy stage production, designed for families. It was developed in the United Kingdom and mostly performed during the Christmas and New Year season. Modern pantomime includes songs, slapstick comedy and dancing, employs gender-crossing actors, and combines topical humour with a story loosely based on a well-known fairy tale. It is a participatory form of theatre, in which the audience is expected to sing along with certain parts of the music and shout out phrases to the performers.

Pantomime has a long theatrical history in Western culture dating back to classical theatre, and it developed partly from the 16th-century commedia dell’arte tradition of Italy, as well as other European and British stage traditions, such as 17th-century masques.

More info and tickets on Brown Paper Tickets.