Austin has no shortage of live performances celebrating the holiday season. Anti-traditionalists, though, may still be searching for entertainment, and here it is: The Museum of Human Achievement (MoHA) is putting on The Summer Sauron Turned Pretty for five performances December 18-20.

This mashup combines The Lord of the Rings (Sauron is the main antagonist, an evil angelic being) and The Summer I Turned Pretty, the first book of a young adult romance trilogy that became a TV series in 2022. Although it's not in the title, the musical Wicked is a core piece of the story, too.

This play revives the days of early 2000s fanfiction, according to a press release, by diving into a highly referential story written by a fictional character. Bob's Burgers fans know this type of parody well.

“Whomever possesses the One Ring possesses the true spirit of Christmas," the show's description says. "But on Christmas Eve of 2003, the Ring falls into the wrong hands! The only person that might save it is…a middle school girl writing a Lord of the Rings x Wicked fanfic fable for the ages in her LiveJournal?! You may think you know the story of the One Ring, but if you're not at The Summer Sauron Turned Pretty, you're only getting one side of it.”

Poster art for The Summer Sauron Turned Pretty.Poster by Billie Buck

Cast and direction are as follows:

• Main cast (comedians, drag performers, and musicians): Roxy Castillo, Aira Juliet, Baldie Loxx, Alexander the Great, and Vertarias.
• Ensemble members supporting the main cast: Kelsey Oliver, Mase Kerwick, Sir Beauregard Elliot Esquire, Chuqui, and Turito.
• Director: Megan Tabaque

Tickets to The Summer Sauron Turned Pretty ($30-40 sliding scale) are on sale now at moha.wiki.

The holiday show is a collaborative effort at MoHA since 2013. Last year, the crew put on Titanic #2: The Floater, and in 2023 it was Edward Normalhands.

The Museum of Human Achievement puts on Titanic #2: The Floater.Photo by Ismael Quintanilla III

"In MoHA's full calendar of multidisciplinary, innovative, and original community arts programming, the holiday show stands out as something I look forward to every year," said MoHA executive director Zac Traeger in the release. "I can think of no better way to celebrate the creative gifts of Austin's community than with foam, dancing, music, fake snow, practical effects, painted cardboard and irreverent mash-ups of camp and pop culture."