'The MeshugaNutcracker!,' a Musical Comedy Celebrating Chanukah, Arrives in Cinemas Nationwide for One Night This Holiday Season

Featuring a Klezmer-ized Orchestration of Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker Suite," the Popular Production Comes to the Big Screen on December 19 Only

An "enchanting festival of light-hearted glee and meaningful warmth" (Los Angeles Times) arrives in celebration at the end of Chanukah when the musical comedy, "The MeshugaNutcracker!," debuts in movie theaters nationwide on December 19, putting a unique spin on the classic Nutcracker ballet.

Presented by Fathom Events, in partnership with Guggenheim Entertainment, "The MeshugaNutcracker!" will be shown in U.S. cinemas for one night on Tuesday, December 19 at 7:00 p.m. local time. During this screening, Emmy Award^®-winning and Broadway star Bruce Vilanch will appear on screen as a special guest.

Tickets for "The MeshugaNutcracker!" can be purchased online by visiting www.FathomEvents.com or at participating theater box offices. Fans throughout the U.S. will be able to enjoy the event in more than 350 select movie theaters through Fathom's Digital Broadcast Network (DBN). For a complete list of theater locations visit the Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change).

"It's a show that's really never been done before," says Susan Gundunas, one of the stars of the ensemble cast. "Not just because there's finally a big, beautiful show about Chanukah in the same way there are big, beautiful shows celebrating Christmas, but also because the cast is singing an amazing challenging score that was originally intended for musical instruments! We get to sing the piccolo line and clarinet line of melodies you've had in your head forever but that have been wordless for hundreds of years. It's a real treat to sing such melodious, grand music."

"The MeshugaNutcracker!" showcases eight stories that pay tribute to the first celebration of Chanukah in the new state of Israel, as well as Judah Maccabee's triumphant saga and accounts of perseverance. Written and directed by Scott Evan Guggenheim, Shannon Guggenheim and Stephen Guggenheim, the full-length musical comedy features the wonderfully silly sensibilities of the folklore of Chelm (a fictional town of fools), underscored by an invigorating Klezmer-ized orchestration of Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker Suite." Alongside original lyrics in honor of Chanukah, "The MeshugaNutcracker!" includes dancing dreidels, singing sufganiot and special guest stars bringing audiences delight as they celebrate this holiday season.

"We are always thrilled to embrace the holiday spirit with audiences and celebrate such a special time of year, and this year there's no better way than watching a fun twist on a beloved classic," Fathom Events VP of Programming Kymberli Frueh said. "This performance is a fun way for audiences to learn more about the history and traditions of Chanukah in a kitchy spin, using the Nutcracker's classic music in a way they've never experienced it before."

"No matter what religion you are, no matter what you celebrate this time of year - it's about finding the light in people, finding light in yourself, letting the holidays truly illuminate everything around you," Shannon Guggenheim, lyricist and one of the co-producers, said. "And yes, it does sound schmaltzy but that's why we balance it with a lot of schmaltz in our show! That really is what we're trying to do: give families something bright and fun but also poignant and meaningful to celebrate this time of year."

For artwork/photos related to "The MeshugaNutcracker!," visit the Fathom Events press site.

About Fathom Events

Fathom Events is recognized as the leading domestic distributor of event cinema with participating affiliate theaters in all 100 of the top Designated Market Areas^®, and ranks as one of the largest overall distributors of content to movie theaters. Owned by AMC Entertainment Inc. AMC, Cinemark Holdings, Inc. CNK and Regal Entertainment Group RGC (known collectively as AC JV, LLC), Fathom Events offers a variety of one-of-a-kind entertainment events such as live, high-definition performances of the Metropolitan Opera, dance and theatre productions like the Bolshoi Ballet and National Theatre Live, sporting events like "Canelo Álvarez vs. Julio César Chávez, Jr.," concerts with artists like Michael Bublé, Rush and Mötley Crüe, the yearlong TCM Big Screen Classics film series, inspirational events such as To Joey With Love and Facing Darkness, and anime titles such as Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away. Fathom Events takes audiences behind the scenes and offers unique extras including audience Q&As, backstage footage and interviews with cast and crew, creating the ultimate VIP experience. Fathom Events' live digital broadcast network ("DBN") is the largest cinema broadcast network in North America, bringing live and pre-recorded events to 897 locations and 1,387 screens in 181 DMAs. For more information, visit www.fathomevents.com.

About Guggenheim Entertainment

Guggenheim Entertainment, Inc. is a theatrical production company based in California's San Francisco Bay Area celebrating 30 years of producing musical theatre, events, and serving the needs of clients throughout the West Coast. The team at the helm of Guggenheim Entertainment is composed of directors, producers, writers, performers, and designers who produce and present full length and one-act musicals; design and teach classes for students of all ages; provide custom event design for a variety of clients; and originate educational arts programming. Since 1986, the Guggenheims have been at the forefront of Theatre In Education, having won an Antoinette Perry Award (giver of the coveted Tony Award) for Excellence in Theatre in Education. They've made "The MeshugaNutcracker!" available to non-profit organizations as a fundraiser helping raise over $250,000 for West Coast non-profit organizations. In 2009, Guggenheim Entertainment opened The Retro Dome and premiered their original musical, "Thanks For Playing...The Game Show Show!" The team will open a venue in Downtown San Jose on New Year's Eve 2017: 3Below Theaters & Lounge will offer the Bay Area another opportunity to enjoy live theater, interactive movie experiences, theatre conservatory for aspiring young actors, intimate operas, and film festivals. Visit 3belowtheaters.com for more information.

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