Looking for holiday family entertainment? Modesto Performing Arts has an answer
Modesto Performing Arts will present the classic holiday story “Babes in Toyland” as its Christmas season program.
The 1903 Victor Herbert operetta will play Nov. 29 through Dec. 1 at the Gallo Center for the Arts in Modesto.
“ ‘Babes in Toyland’ has been a Christmas favorite ever since its opening in New York,” according to a press release from MPA.
The production will be directed by MPA General Director Paul Tischer with choreography by Debbie Holtzclaw and musical direction and piano accompaniment by Dan Clark.
A 1961 Disney film starred Annette Funicello and Tommy Sands in the romantic leads. Among the memorable songs are “Toyland” and “The March of the Toy Soldiers,” the release said.
“The plot, in typical old-fashioned melodrama style, tells the story of the evil Uncle Barnaby who will foreclose on all the mortgages in Mother Goose Village unless Mary Contrary will marry him,” the MPA release said.
But Mary is in love with Tom-Tom who she believes has been killed by Barnaby and his men. Tom-Tom returns in disguise as Floretta the Gypsy Queen and the pair leave for Toyland to find help from the Toymaker to save the village homes.
But the Toymaker has lost his magic formula to make the toy soldiers come alive, according to MPA.
Jimmy Gonzales will star as Barnaby with Jacob DeBow and Elizabeth Barton as Tom-Tom and Mary; Stephen Le and Kenny Moore play Barnaby’s henchmen Rodergio and Gonzorgo; Vance Whitaker is the Toymaker and Linda Fredericks plays the Old Woman in the Shoe.
The total cast of 40 includes 20 children who play Santa’s elves.
Children in the audience will be invited to meet the cast following the performance.
“Babes In Toyland”
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 29, 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 30; 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 1
WHERE: Gallo Center for the Arts, 1000 I St., Modesto
TICKETS: $15-$19
ONLINE: www.galloarts.org
