MALVERN, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — A family holiday tradition at People’s Light theater in Malvern has expanded into an opportunity to educate the community and support LGBTQ+ youth.
For the last 20 years, the theater has produced panto shows during the holiday season — a British form of theater that puts a comedic and interactive twist on classic stories.
“It’s also a new telling of the story that puts it really in the land of imagination and in the land of play,” said Andrew Watring, director of community programs and associate producer of this year’s panto. “In the land of when you meet someone on the playground and you invent an entire new world from scratch. … That sense of play and that sense of fun and that sense of belonging is vibrant.”
This year’s panto is a musical retelling of Peter Pan, called “Peter Panto,” with an original script by Jennifer Childs and music, lyrics and arrangements by Alex Bechtel — both local artists. The production aims to welcome anyone “from ages 5 to 105” to come as they are and enjoy the magic of theater together.
In that spirit, the theater is also hosting a day of workshops called “From Seed to Blossom: Supporting Queer and Trans Youth.”
Watring said there will be speakers, panels, performances and workshops touching on mental health, drag, poetry and more. “We have different tracks that people can follow with different workshops, like a track for educators, a track for faith-based individuals, a track for young people, a track for parents.”
Watring developed the idea after People’s Light’s last panto, which featured a drag performer, sparked a few negative comments online, though the response from audiences was mostly positive.
“I kind of set about, OK, how do I really want to address this with the community?” Watring said. “How do I want to ensure that we keep telling these stories, and we tell them in a really safe and inclusive way?”
The goal is to offer education, support and resources, as well as to connect people and organizations that support LGBTQ+ youth.
“From Seed to Blossom” will take place on Monday, Nov. 18, and “Peter Panto” runs from Nov. 20 to Jan. 5. Visit peopleslight.org for more information.