Classic stories and fairy tales are set to receive a musical theater “glow up” next season, courtesy of The Studio at Mizner Park. As part of its Theatre for Young Audiences series for 2026-2027, the venue has enlisted an award-winning composer and lyricist to pen new music, books, and lyrics riffing on three childhood staples: A Christmas Carol, Little Red Riding Hood, and Pinocchio.
All three world-premiere productions are being composed by Jeff Thomson (pictured above), whose work in the children’s arena includes My Little Pony Live, with book and lyrics by Jeremy Desmon, whose touring spectaculars include PAW Patrol and Dora the Explorer. Here’s what they’ve got on tap here in Boca Raton.
In Scroogé: A New Christmas Carol (Dec. 4-12), Charles Dickens’ miserly codger is replaced by the young, spoiled, wannabe pop star Carol Scrooge, who answers only to an accent-marked version of her name (“Scroogé”), and who dismisses Christmas as little more than a photo op. Her humbug-ism will be tested upon the arrival of the ghost of her great-great-great-great-great grandfather Ebenezer, whose accompanying spirits are eager to show Carol a different perspective.
The Mostly True Story of Little Red Riding Hood (Feb 26-March 6) goes into the woods for a pop-centric remix of the Charles Perrault fairy tale. We don’t know much more of the concept at this time, but expect the familiar story and characters to take new and amusing directions.
The series concludes May 21-29 of next year with Pinocchio: A Real Boy Band, in which the wooden title character dreams of not merely becoming human but of joining a pop group. As someone who came of age watching the performing marionettes of *NSYNC’s “Bye Bye Bye” too many times on MTV, I believe there is much potential in the concept.
All three productions will be directed by David Eck, general manager at The Studio at Mizner Park, whose decades of experience include associate producing musicals including Kinky Boots, Pippin, and Hairspray. Single tickets and three-show packages will go on sale in September.
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