You may think you know Snow White’s story, a tale of a jealous queen who orders the murder of her innocent stepdaughter. Or you can recite Cinderella’s trials, a troubled heroine living in unfortunate circumstances. But this year’s holiday pantomime at Waterworks Players makes a delightfully different take in which the worlds of fairytale and TV science fiction collide, boldly going where no panto has gone before in Andrew Yates’ It’s A Panto Jim … But Not As We Know It.

As a beloved form of theater in the British Isles, pantomimes are melodramatic presentations of familiar nursery rhymes or children’s tales that combine song, dance and slapstick comedy.

Mary Jo Stockton, director of this year’s production, notes that the “Show isn’t a quiet and polite theatre-going experience. Rather the audience, ranging in age from two to 80, interacts with the cast – sometimes in planned events, sometimes in spontaneous reactions – throughout the performance.” The actors expect and encourage this back-and-forth interaction. In some productions the story villain will squirt the audience with water guns, while other cast members might throw candy to children.

Part of the charm for older audience members is that these shows include jokes based on current events and local connections. Notes Stockton, “We edit the script to keep jokes current and to tailor dialogue for our community.”

This year’s panto joins the crew of Spaceship Centipede, commanded by Captain James T. Nerk (Greg Tsigaridas) and assistants Mr. Knock (Erik Varela), Mr. Snot (Jordan Whiley), and Lt. Hula Hula (Carrie Boswell). They interrupt their hundred year mission to help seven dwarfs (Krishon Preston, Penelope Dorsey, Charlotte Trant, Anna Stinson, Grace Dodson, Natalie Aldridge and Jeanne Strunk) wake Snow White (Catherine Franssen). They encounter a wicked queen (Sherri Davenport) and Prince Charming (Christian Huggard), but also meet Cinderella (Laura Boyett) and her two ugly step-sisters (Christy Moore and Leigh Lunsford).

The cast also includes an ensemble of memorable characters including singing mice (Kailynn Hamilton, Carrington Detrick, Evelyn Johnson), Cookie (Craig Dodson), Chips (Katherine Lusk), several kids (Katie Dodson, Elle Franssen), and a frightful jailer (John Burton).

Will Captain Nerk be able to resist the charms of the Wicked Queen? Will Snow White ever wake up? Will true love save the day? The only way to know for sure is to get your tickets before the clock strikes 12!

Performances are Friday at 7 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m., and Friday, Dec. 7 at 7 p.m., and Saturday, Dec. 8 at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at http://waterworksplayers.org/buytickets or call (434) 392-3452.