The Frogtown Hollow Jubilee Jug Band is playing 42nd Street...rather, the stage adaptation of Jim Henson’s Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas is now in previews at New Victory Theater. It officially opens on December 17 and runs through January 2, 2022.
The show, based on the book by Russell and Lillian Hoban and Jim Henson’s popular 1977 holiday special, features a mix of costumed performers and puppets from Jim Henson’s Creature Shop.
Christopher Gattelli, the Tony-winning choreographer of Newsies, directs and choreographs the stage adaptation about Emmet and Ma Otter as they enter a Christmas Eve talent contest hoping to win prize money to buy each other holiday gifts. The show has a book by iTheatrics' Timothy Allen McDonald and Gattelli and a score by Oscar winner (and frequent Muppets collaborator) Paul Williams.
The cast includes Colin Trudell as Emmet Otter, Jordan Brownlee puppeteering Tiny Squirrel/Doc Bullfrog, Kevin Covert as Mayor Fox, LaVon Fisher-Wilson (Newsies) as Mrs. Mink/Hetty Muskrat, Matt Furtado puppeteering Skippy Squirrel/Yancy Woodchuck/Stan Weasel, Jakeim Hart as Harvey, Steven Huynh as Wendell/Weasel, Jason Jacoby as Puppeteer Understudy, Maggie Lakis as Mrs. Fox, Anney Ozar puppeteering Nutella Squirrel/Old Lady Possum, J. Antonio Rodriguez as Charlie/Will Possum, James Silson puppeteering Jiffy Squirrel/Fred Lizard, Laura Woyasz as Mrs. Fox Understudy, and Cass Morgan (Memphis) as Ma Otter..
Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas features scenic design by Anna Louizos, costume design by Gregg Barnes, lighting design by Jennifer Schriever, sound design by Matt Kraus, make-up design by Melissa Munn, puppet supervision by John Tartaglia, music direction by Larry Pressgrove, orchestrations by Dan DeLange, arrangements by Pressgrove and DeLange, and casting by Calleri Jensen Davis. Ray DeMattis serves as associate director.
Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas is produced by Timothy Allen McDonald, iTheatrics, Writers’ Cage, Cheryl Henson, and Heather Henson, with Alex Robertson serving as associate producer.
The production will also be available to stream on-demand as part of the New Victory Theater’s virtual season December 17–January 2.
