The Camelot Theatre conjures a retelling of the Brothers Grimm fairy tale in the slapstick panto tradition

By Jim Flint

The holidays are about to get a little more magical — and a lot more mischievous — at Camelot Theatre in Talent.

Opening Nov. 19, “Hansel & Gretel: A Panto Tale” promises a musical romp through the fairy-tale forest with witches, a wolf and a few unexpected guests.

The show, written and directed by Camelot Artistic Director Gwen Overland, reimagines the familiar Brothers Grimm story through the lens of the British panto tradition — a family-friendly form of musical comedy that mixes slapstick humor, sing-alongs, pop-culture references and audience participation.

“Panto is quite a thing in Europe, particularly in the U.K.,” Overland said. “After reading several of those scripts, I realized that in translation to an American audience much was lost. That’s when I began to play around with the idea that the witch in the story wasn’t so much a monster as she was merely a victim of her own loneliness.”

That idea in turn prompted Overland to think about all the people in the world who spend their holidays alone. “Now I had something I could sink my teeth into,” she said.

A new take on a classic

When Overland first planned Camelot’s 2025 season, she invited a guest director to stage a “Hansel and Gretel” panto. When illness forced him to step back, she took on the project herself, blending her own musical and theatrical instincts into an original script with a fresh emotional center.

“As far as the idea of adding more characters, that really came about when I realized that the Hansel and Gretel story was basically a witch, two children and their parents,” she said. “This was not enough to make an American-style panto come to life.”

So she expanded the cast, adding the Big Bad Wolf, a trio of musical “Piglettes,” and even two witches instead of one: the Wicked Witch and the Forest Witch, La Befana. The result is a theatrical stew of comedy, heart and music, complete with sound tracks provided by musical director Karl Iverson to keep the energy bubbling.

Two witches, two worlds

In Overland’s world, the witches aren’t simply good or evil — they’re dueling forces in a story about redemption, loneliness and belonging.

“The reason why I chose the idea of two witches vying for power against each other is because the children still needed to be saved from danger and returned to their parents,” Overland said.

“The witches battle for power; the children want to go home … and the good witch is conflicted with wanting to help the children and at the same time not wanting to be left alone, particularly at holiday time.”

That emotional tension is what drew actor and musician Jade Chavis to the role of La Befana.

“The fact that Gwen Overland was the writer and director of the play is what drew me to the panto,” Chavis said. “When I heard she was writing it, I wanted to be a part of it!”

A familiar face and voice

Chavis, an OSF alumna and Rogue Valley performer known for her work with the Rogue Suspects and Souliverse, brings her musical and theatrical backgrounds to the role.

“Our La Befana loves music,” she said. “She has surrounded herself with creatures who sing and the music of the forest. I think of her as having a kind of soundtrack playing in her head. Is she humming a tune to keep herself company? Is it to stave off loneliness or is it from nostalgia and keeping a memory close in her heart?”

La Befana, a figure from Italian folklore, is sometimes seen as a wise, grandmotherly witch who delivers gifts to children. But Chavis and Overland’s version will have more layers.

“I am excited to give her an interesting character arc in this production,” Chavis said. “I want her to be more than the cruel witch we know from the classic fairy tale of Hansel and Gretel who eats wayward children. Ick! I hope audiences will see that people can change.”

A wickedly funny twist

Facing off against La Befana is the Wicked Witch, played by Mason Rudesheim, a recent Southern Oregon University graduate making his Camelot debut.

Rudesheim, 24, sees the production as a chance to mix two of his passions: classical theater and clowning.

“I think one of the things that excites me the most about being in this panto is that panto, as a theatrical tradition, in part, derives from the Italian Commedia dell’Arte,” he said. “Though commedia is a less-practiced theatrical form nowadays, it is one that I adore and one that I have had the pleasure to perform and study in some depth — this summer in Italy.”

The Wicked Witch in Overland’s version walks a fine line between fright and farce.

“Most villains have a blend of menace and comedy,” Rudesheim said. “Given the more comedic nature of panto, I am definitely leaning more towards comedy for this character, though I don’t want to forget the element of menace either.”

And yes, he has a signature witch’s laugh ready.

“I really enjoy playing villains, though I don’t get to often, so I have had a virtual bevy of stock evil laughs at my fingertips for years,” he said. “That said, I do like to tailor the laugh to character and play around with it to see what comes to me in the moment. For that reason, I think you might just have to see the show if you want to know what it sounds like.”

A family affair — with music

“Hansel & Gretel: A Panto Tale” promises an inventive mix of theater and concert. Overland enlisted choreographer Shannon Carter to give the show its dance-driven sparkle. She has built in plenty of moments for the audience to participate — booing villains, cheering heroes and laughing along with the antics.

Overland even channels a little “Muppet Show” energy.

“I borrowed from Statler and Waldorf up in the balcony commenting on the action below,” she said. “These jokes and one-upmanship moments are the cheeky elements of the play, which probably the adult audience will enjoy as much as or more than the children.”

Kid-friendly holiday entertainment

For Chavis, that blend of fun and feeling captures the heart of the holidays.

“Gwen’s vision of this panto is full of fun, laughter and tenderness,” she said.

Rudesheim agrees.

“Live theater is a very special thing, and I want people in general, but especially kids, to be able to experience it as much as possible,” he said. “I hope to make something that is both good and human that children can actively connect to in person rather than passively consume via a screen.”

It will be “pay what you can” on Wednesday night, Nov. 19, a Camelot tradition. And tickets are discounted to $25 for preview night, Nov. 20. For the official opening night on Friday, Nov. 21, there will be a complimentary champagne and appetizers reception at 6:45, followed by the performance at 7:30.

Camelot Theatre is located at 101 Talent Ave., Talent. Tickets are $40 for regular performances. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit camelottheatre.org.

The show runs from Nov. 19 through Dec. 31, promising a blend of humor, music and heart — and, as Rudesheim noted, a wicked laugh of two worth hearing in person.

Jim Flint’s Curtain Call column publishes on the second and fourth Mondays of the month. Email Jim at [email protected].