Classic Stories. A Whole New Beat.
Forget “once upon a time” — this season, The Studio at Mizner Park is rewriting the songbook. The venue today announced The Studio: Stories on Stage, a brand-new Theatre for Young Audiences series that takes three of the world’s most beloved stories and gives each one a full pop-music glow-up: Scroogé: A New Christmas Carol, The Mostly True Story of Little Red Riding Hood, and Pinocchio: A Real Boy Band.
All three world-premiere musicals are written by the same award-winning creative team — composer Jeff Thomson and bookwriter/lyricist Jeremy Desmon, whose combined credits stretch from Off-Broadway to the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus — and directed by David Eck, General Manager of The Studio at Mizner Park. Together, they’ve traded once-upon-a-time for hooks, harmonies, and a whole new point of view.
Scroogé: A New Christmas Carol
December 4, 5, 11 & 12, 2026
Dickens meets pop stardom in this musical remix: Carol Scrooge — a spoiled-rich-girl, wannabe-pop-star who answers only to “Scroogé” — thinks Christmas is just another photo op, until the ghost of her great-great-great-great-great grandfather Ebenezer shows up with three spirits and an intervention for the ages.
The Mostly True Story of Little Red Riding Hood
February 26 & 27 and March 5 & 6, 2027
Everyone knows the story — or do they? This fresh, funny musical retelling takes audiences off the familiar path to find out there’s a lot more to Red, Granny, and the Wolf than the storybooks let on.
Pinocchio: A Real Boy Band
May 21, 22, 28 & 29, 2027
A wooden boy with big dreams stumbles into the irresistible pull of pop stardom in this high-energy new musical about ambition, friendship, and what it really means to be “real.”
“These are stories every family already knows and loves — we just turned up the volume,” said David Eck, Director and General Manager of The Studio at Mizner Park. “Stories on Stage is about giving young audiences their first great night at the theatre, and giving these classic tales a beat they’ll actually want to sing along to.”
Tickets & Auditions
Single tickets and three-show packages go on sale in September. Auditions will be held in late September, with a stipend provided to all performers. Visit http://www.thestudioatmiznerpark.org for ticketing and audition information.
About the Creative Team
Jeff Thomson (Music)
A recipient of the Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation Award and the Dramatists Guild Musical Theatre Writing Fellowship, and a Fred Ebb Award finalist, Thomson’s musical TRAILS won the NYMF Award for Best Musical Score. His work spans MY LITTLE PONY LIVE (produced by Hasbro and Mills Entertainment) to two original songs for Jeremy Desmon’s hit jukebox musical ONE HIT WONDER. Learn more at http://www.JeffThomsonMusic.com.
Jeremy Desmon (Book & Lyrics)
Winner of the prestigious Edward Kleban Prize for Musical Theatre Writing, Desmon has brought stories to millions of theatergoing families worldwide — writing touring spectaculars and arena shows for characters including PAW Patrol, Elmo, Mickey Mouse, and Dora the Explorer, plus multiple editions of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. He is also known for widely produced school hits like Cyrano de BurgerShack and teaches at Princeton University’s Triangle Writers Workshop.
David Eck (Director/General Manager)
General Manager of The Studio at Mizner Park, Eck brings more than two decades of experience as a theatrical producer, director, and arts educator. In New York, he served as Associate Producer with six-time Tony Award-winning producers Allan and Adam S. Gordon on Broadway and commercial productions including Kinky Boots, Pippin, Peter and the Starcatcher, Hairspray, and RENT. He later spent nearly a decade as Resident Director and Theatre Specialist with Art Park Players. Directing credits include Sweeney Todd, Chicago, Shrek, and Peter and the Starcatcher.
About The Studio at Mizner Park
Located in the heart of Mizner Park at 201 Plaza Real, The Studio is Downtown Boca Raton’s premier nonprofit performing arts venue. Operated under the Mizner Park Cultural Arts Association, a 501(c)(3) organization, The Studio features a 335-seat black box theater, a 4,500-square-foot event space, and a gallery with a full bar. Its mission is to cultivate and coordinate activities, events, and experiences that engage the community through art, cultural, social, and educational programs.
For tickets and more information, visit http://www.thestudioatmiznerpark.org or call 954-910-5826.
