The local Arts Society (in the UK) recently hosted this online presentaion by Ian Gledhill: The Magic of Pantomime
He explained how panto evolved from the Commedia Dell'arte, via France to England (where they couldn't speak Italian, so they mimed), why the cross-dressing, and where the stories came from.
Maybe your group or club could book him. He's very good.
By clicking on the User Name, you will requery the forum for that user. You will see everything that he or she has posted with that Mudcat name.
By clicking on the Thread Name, you will be sent to the Forum on that thread as if you selected it from the main Mudcat Forum page.
* Click on the linked number with * to view the thread split into pages (click "d" for chronologically descending).
By clicking on the Subject, you will also go to the thread as if you selected it from the original Forum page, but also go directly to that particular message.
By clicking on the Date (Posted), you will dig out every message posted that day.