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Theatre Orangeville is bringing in the laughs with ‘Rapunzel: A Braid New World’ pantomime

November 13, 2025   ·   0 Comments

By Joshua Drakes

For those with a love of bombastic, colourful, and hilarious theatre, Theatre Orangeville’s Rapunzel: A Braid New World will have those needs covered when it premieres on Friday, Nov. 28.

Written by David Nairn and Debbie Collins, with Nairn stepping into the director’s boots, this pantomime production also comes fully loaded with an all-star cast.

Christina Gordon, who will be playing Ethel the Fairy and Justin the Beaver, said that this retelling of Rapunzel will be anything but an average performance.

“The audience is going to be visually stunned,” said Gordon. “It’s a saturated atmosphere. What this theatre can bring to life with Beckie’s designs is something you just don’t normally see in live theatre. You’re part of the environment, you think you’re there.”

For those unfamiliar, Pantomime is a type of musical comedy that often retells well-known stories in a new, comedic way.

Made for family entertainment, it’s famous for openly encouraging audience participation in the performance. Nairn said that audience participation will be key to this production.

“The success of the panto lies in the fact of audience involvement,” he said. “If the audience just sits back and doesn’t get involved, then we haven’t done our job right.”

Throughout the performance, Nairn said that actors will be looking to engage with the audience, sometimes on a very personal level. They’ll play off the energy of the room, ensuring that every performance is unique from the previous one.

Gordon said that they want to really connect with audiences and maybe help them open up about their own lives through comedy and theatre. Nairn and Gordon both agree that theatre is an important outlet for emotions and the stresses of daily life, so as much as they want people to laugh, they want to release equally as much.

“I always found that there are many moments in panto where something hits somebody really hard,” Gordon said. “It might even just be a lyric from a song or something. But if you can just sit for a second and acknowledge what may be going on in your life, and then kiss it goodbye or accept it as part of you, then that’s a good thing to take away.”

Nairn continued by saying that the production’s humour has something for all ages. There will be jokes for younger kids and adults. One of the merits of this approach is that jokes can be kept fresh, up-to-date, and relatable for audiences.

“We try to make it work for younger audiences as well as older ones, but that doesn’t mean it’s a children’s show,” he said. “We have basically two levels going on. There’s references in there that anybody over the age of 12 might not understand, but there’s also references in there anybody under the age of 12 won’t understand. We try to keep it relevant.”

Theatre Orangeville is also promising an equally captivating set to accompany the performances. Once again, the product of Beckie Morris and Lisa Lahue, the same minds behind the incredible set of For the Wonder of it All. Their expertise and vision promise unforgettable visuals that already have the cast excited to act within them.

Ben Skipper, who plays Fred the Fairy and the soothsayer, praised the behind-the-scenes team for an incredible job.

“All I can really say is that the work Beckie and Lisa have done is incredible,” he said. “To create this set is a towering achievement.”

Puns aside, the excitement isn’t contained to just an upcoming audience; it’s being felt by the cast as well.

For some of the cast, the prospect of performing in a pantomime is just as exciting for them as it is for the audience watching them.

Annika Tupper, who plays Rapunzel and Rhonda the candlestick maker, said the atmosphere is extremely uplifting and lets the performers and cast cut loose and just have fun together.

“This show is so accessible for newcomers, and oldcomers, and teaching each other about the mechanics of panto, that’s what excites me,” she said. “Growing up in the prairies, pantomime wasn’t really a thing. So coming here and doing my first pantomime last year, I can say there’s so much joy and discovery. It’s basically permission to be silly with a group of people for a couple hours.”

“You go on this crazy journey, you all laugh, cry, do all those things, then you go home and tell all your friends about it,” Tupper added.

Rapunzel: A Braid New World is promising a fun-filled experience for cast and audience, as Theatre Orangeville performs its third yearly pantomime of the season. For those looking for good laughs, some fun engagement with the performance, and a release from life’s stresses, this will be the performance they’ve been waiting for.

Skippersaid it’s a performance that will heal its audience through the joy of comedy.

“Come out to Rapunzel,” he said. “It’s a chance to just have fun. There’s nothing that heals better than laughter. You’re giving yourself the opportunity to let loose in a room with no judgment. You can’t look sillier than us, so come into this space with the people you love and have fun.”

Tickets are available online at app.arts-people.com/?show=269299 and more info can be found on Theatre Orangeville’s website.

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