In the cozy confines of a former mortuary chapel in Pasadena, a centuries-old cautionary tale is being reimagined for modern audiences. Parson’s Nose Theater is reviving its Family Theater Series this May with “Pied Piper: A Musical!,” transforming the legendary 13th-century story into what Lance Davis, the theater’s Artistic Director, calls “a cartoonish musical with a Brechtian approach.”
The one-hour production, scheduled for two consecutive weekends in May, will play to an intimate audience of just 50 people per show in the theater’s unique venue, which has been home to Parson’s Nose since 2015.
“We all desperately need stories. We devour them all day long, and make up on our own when we sleep. Then try to make sense of our world …,” said Davis once said years ago about “The Pied Piper of Hamlin (A Musical),” an earlier iteration of the show.
This 2025 musical, with words and music by Davis and arrangements by Michael Faulkner, reimagines Hamlin as the “Cheese Capital of the World.”
According to the Parson’s Nose Theater website, the fictional families “the Klutzes and the Butzes are so busy making money with their cheese they ignore their own children!” The plot follows “a mysterious woman [who] comes along who tries to convince them [the townspeople] that rats aren’t their problem, it’s themselves,” according to TheaterMania.
Davis, reflecting on his adaptation in a 2014 interview with Hey SoCal, explained: “The Pied Piper is a 13th-century legend with many possible sources. In my version it’s about a town that refuses to change its priorities, and pays the price.”
The 2025 production stars Jill Rogosheske as The Piper, as announced on the theater’s Instagram.
The show includes original songs such as “Hamlintown!” and “Dey Tink Deir Cheese Don’t Stink.”
Performances are scheduled for Saturday, May 17 at 7 p.m., Sunday, May 18 at 3 p.m., Saturday, May 24 at 7 p.m., and Sunday, May 25 at 3 p.m. at 95 N Marengo Ave in Pasadena, with entrance on Holly Street.
Ticket prices range from $15 to $25 for the show, which is suitable for ages 8 to 80, according to the PNT Family Theater promotional materials.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.parsonsnose.com/
