Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas
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Regional Premiere starring Vivian Bayubay McLaughlin as Mrs. Alice "Ma" Otter, from Disney's Out of the Box and Sesame English! Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas brings the beloved Jim Henson television special to life, live on stage. Hailed by The New York Times for its “superb score” by Academy Award–winning songwriter Paul Williams, this nostalgic tale takes us to Frogtown Hollow, where Ma and Emmet Otter risk what little they have to make each other’s holiday dreams come true. This very merry musical is a heartwarming celebration perfect for the entire family.
It’s three days before Christmas and Mayor Fox has just announced a Christmas talent contest with a grand prize of fifty dollars! Meanwhile, times are tough for Ma and Emmet Otter since Pa passed away, and winning that prize money would allow them to secretly buy each other a Christmas gift. Emmet considers forming a jug-band with his friends, but in order to do that he’ll have to put a hole in Ma’s washtub. The problem is, Ma earns money by doing other folks’ laundry in the washtub. Ma thinks about hocking Pa’s old toolbox so she can make a costume for the contest, but Emmet uses those tools to do odd jobs. As Christmas Eve and the talent contest quickly approach, will Ma and Emmet sacrifice what little they have, or will their Christmas wishes come true?
The music and lyrics for Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas are written by the legendary Paul Williams, the recipient of an Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards and three Grammy Awards. His songs The Rainbow Connection and Evergreen; are included in the American Film Institute’s List of Top Movie Songs of All Time. The New York Times called Williams’s score for Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas “as playful as it is heart-whole beautiful,” which includes now classic tunes "When The River Meets The Sea" and "Our World" as well as tons of new songs for the stage adaptation.
Vivian Bayubay McLaughlin is an actress, music director, and educator. She is best known for co-hosting Disney Channel’s Out of the Box, a children’s show nominated for an Emmy and winner of three Parents’ Choice Awards. Vivian has appeared on the television show Sesame Street English and in commercials for Western Union, Sun Microsystems, MSN, and Visa. She has also recorded audiobooks for Random House, Scholastic, and Bantam Doubleday.
Vivian earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. She now lives in California where she teaches voice and piano and works as a music director for schools, children’s theaters, and community productions. While some of her students have gone on to perform on Broadway, her primary goal remains to cultivate a deep appreciation for musical theater and vocal technique.
Emmett Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas was Vivian’s favorite childhood movie and is now watched by her family every December as a Christmas tradition. She is excited to be portraying Ma Otter having grown up listening to this wonderful score and because of the role’s focus on family, hope, and gratitude. Vivian is a proud member of SAG-AFTRA and Actors' Equity Association (AEA).
This regional premiere of Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas is under the direction of Eric Vaughn Johnson, featuring a cast of professional performers from across the country, as part of the Broadway in Brighton Series. OFC is one of the first theatres in the country to present this brand-new musical. Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI.
Music and Lyrics by Paul Williams, Book by Timothy Allen McDonald & Christopher Gattelli, A theatrical adaptation of the Jim Henson Television Special Based on the illustrated book Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas by Russell Hoban & Lillian Hoban.
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