Free Performance of an Exciting Work In Development!
Mixed eMotion Theatrix
presents
Hans Christian Andersen’s
THE SHADOW
Saturday, August 22, 2026 • 2pm
Sunday, August 23, 2026 • 2pm
Tickets are FREE but must be reserved.
Includes a post-show talkback!
An uplifting new musical for the whole family!
La Mirada Theatre is excited to welcome Mixed eMotion Theatrix for a brand-new theatrical experience still in development. This free event invites audiences to be the first to ever experience The Shadow onstage. As part of the development process post-performance talk backs will engage the creators and audiences to discuss their experience and thoughts on the show. La Mirada Theatre is excited to bring this brand-new work to our community.
About Hans Christian Andersen’s THE SHADOW
In this developmental production of a brand new musical, the two-time Jim Henson Foundation grant awardee, Hans Christian Andersen’s The Shadow, uses music, vocals, dance, projections, puppetry and shadow play to tell Andersen’s story and then sets it on its head to present a new uplifting fairy tale of discovery, adventure and the positive nature of man.
The first act is the original Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, dark and mysterious, telling the tale of “A Shadow” that takes over a man’s life. The second act, their original addition, continues where the story left off, sending “The Shadow” on an epic journey to appreciate man’s inherent goodness, discover his own self-worth and find, ultimately, redemption.
The production’s use of multiple theatrical elements is a reflection of Mixed eMotion Theatrix’s dedication to telling stories through hybrid theater work, imaginatively integrating movement, music, media and old school theatricality, such as puppetry, to create gorgeous, fun and enlightening live theater experiences.
General Synopsis
Inspired by the classic tale, Hans Christian Andersen’s The Shadow is an inventive new musical about an awkward, struggling writer whose longing for inspiration takes an unexpected turn when his shadow magically sets out to explore the world on his own.
Secretly observing humanity from afar, the Shadow becomes captivated by the allure of power, status and manipulation. Determined to become a “real man,” he crafts a clever deception that sweeps himself and the Man into the path of a rebellious Princess longing for her own freedom. But as ambition turns into betrayal, a dark conflict threatens to shatter all of their dreams.
Where Andersen’s original story ends in tragedy, this fairytale is only beginning. Driven onto an extraordinary voyage filled with high-seas danger, fantastical sea creatures and mythical monsters, the unlikely trio is forced to confront their deepest flaws and question what it truly means to be human.
Told entirely through music, lyric, movement, puppetry and projection, Hans Christian Andersen’s The Shadow is an uplifting new musical for the whole family about identity, redemption and the transformative power of choosing light over darkness.
About Mixed eMotion Theatrix
Mixed eMotion Theatrix combines music, contemporary dance, movement derived from cultural traditions, theater, film and multi-media to create hybrid performance experiences in live theater and online content. The company is dedicated to telling stories of the human condition through the use of folk tales, myths, classic literature, new histories and biographies. MeMT strives to inform, educate and enlighten the contemporary audience to create a collective sense of community through shared experience.
Ticket Information
To purchase: Tickets are FREE but must be reserved here.
Performances:
Saturday, August 22, 2026 at 2PM
Sunday, August 23, 2026 at 2PM
Recommended for: All ages.
Note: No children under 3 will be admitted.
Run Time: 2 hours with an intermission and a brief talk-back after the show!