Archive: Arts & Entertainment

The Kitchen Theatre Company continues its 20th Anniversary Season with the return of best-selling author David Sedaris’ hilarious, holiday theatrical treat. The Santaland Diaries is a decadent dose of irreverent holiday humor, based on Sedaris' real-life job as a Macy’s Elf. Broadcast annually on NPR, this popular seasonal standard has been adapted for the stage by Joe Mantello into a screamingly funny one-person play. The KTC is bringing back the ‘team’ from 2005, which stars Karl Gregory and direction by Jesse Bush. The Santaland Diaries begins with special Thanksgiving Weekend Previews on Saturday, November 27th and Sunday, November 28th and additional previews December 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. Opening Night is December 4th, and The Santaland Diaries continues through December 19th, 2010. Adult language and situations.

As Sedaris' cynical alter ego, actor Karl Gregory portrays an out-of-work New Yorker who, on a whim, responds to a want ad for "holiday elf". Through intense training, a Santa-size list of the do's and don’ts of acceptable elfin behavior, and all the ups and downs that come with the adventure, this not-so-innocent job seeker transforms into a "low key kind of elf" endearingly named "Crumpet."

With a cool and critical eye, Sedaris scrutinizes the outrageous behavior of frayed families and fellow employees ranging from unemployed actors to displaced white-collar workers. His behind-the-scenes look at Macy's Santa Land as Crumpet caustically counts down the dysfunctional days 'til Christmas in this merrily malicious anti-holiday cult classic treat.

David Sedaris (playwright) is the author of the bestsellers Barrel Fever and Holidays on Ice, as well as collections of personal essays, Naked and Me Talk Pretty One Day, both of which became immediate bestsellers. Sedaris and his sister, Amy Sedaris, have collaborated under the name "The Talent Family" and have written several plays, which have been produced at La Mama, Lincoln Center, and The Drama Department in New York City. These plays include Stump the Host, Stitches, One Woman Shoe, which received an Obie Award, Incident at Cobbler's Knob, and The Book of Liz, which was published in book form by Dramatist's Play Service. His essays appear regularly in Esquire and The New Yorker. Sedaris' original radio pieces can often be heard on This American Life, distributed nationally by Public Radio International and produced by WBEZ in Chicago. In 2001, David Sedaris became the third recipient of the Thurber Prize for American Humor. He was named by Time magazine as "Humorist of the Year" in 2001. His book Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim was published in June 2004, and an anthology of stories, Children Playing Before a Statue of Hercules: An Anthology of Outstanding Stories, edited by David Sedaris, was published in April 2005. In 2005, David Sedaris was nominated for two Grammy Awards for Best Spoken Word Album (Dress Your Family in Corduroy & Denim) and Best Comedy Album (David Sedaris: Live at Carnegie Hall).

Karl Gregory has been seen in over 40 Kitchen Theatre productions, including the sold-out run of The Santaland Diaries in 2005. Favorite shows include Gutenberg! The Musical, Swimming In The Shallows, Drunken City, The Chairs, Frankenstein, The Drawer Boy and the 2nd Annual 48 Hour Playwriting Marathon, as well as title roles in The Cripple of Inishmaan, A Perfect Ganesh and The Servant of Two Masters. Karl is the recipient of a 2005 SALT Award for "Best Actor in a Season" for his portrayal of 37 different characters in the Kitchen's production of Fully Committed, directed by Craig MacDonald. Now based in NYC, Karl returned to Ithaca last summer for the Hangar Theatre’s 39 Steps. He completed his MFA in Acting at Brown University/Trinity Rep in Spring 2010.

Jesse Bush, longtime Kitchen Theatre collaborator and currently Associate Artistic Director at the Hangar Theatre, returns to direct this one-man tour de force. "Santaland offers a wonderful alternative to the all-too-often saccharine Christmas fare,” says Bush. “I'm a huge fan of holiday entertainment and David Sedaris' take on 'the most wonderful time of the year' is truly unique." Recent directorial credits include Kitchen Theatre: Happy Days, The Drawer Boy, and this season’s moving production of The Brothers Size. At the Hangar Theatre: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and Once on this Island.

The scenic design for The Santaland Diaries is by Norm Johnson, lighting design is by Max Doolittle, costume design by Lisa Boquist, sound design by Lesley Greene, and the Stage Manager is LaShawn Keyser. All performances will be at the Kitchen Theatre’s brand new location – 417 W. State / W. Martin Luther King, Jr. Street, in downtown Ithaca, NY.
Performance Dates:
Sat., Nov. 27, 2010 at 8:00pm (Early Bird Holiday Preview 1 of 2)
Sun., Nov. 28, 2010 at 4:00pm (Early Bird Holiday Preview 2 of 2)
Wed., Dec. 1, 2010 at 7:30pm (Preview 1 of 2)
Thurs., Dec. 2, 2010 at 7:30pm (Preview 2 of 3)
Fri., Dec. 3, 2010 at 8:00pm (Preview 3 of 3)
Sat., Dec. 4, 2010 at 8:00pm (Press Opening)
Sun., Dec. 5, 2010 at 4:00pm
Wed., Dec. 8, 2010 at 7:30pm
Thurs., Dec. 9, 2010 at 7:30pm
Fri., Dec. 10, 2010 at 8:00pm (Wine Tasting)
Sat., Dec. 11, 2010 at 8:00pm
Sun., Dec. 12, 2010 at 4:00pm
Wed., Dec. 15, 2010 at 7:30pm
Thurs., Dec. 16, 2010 at 7:30pm
Fri., Dec. 17, 2010 at 8:00pm
Sat., Dec. 18, 2010 at 8:00pm
Sun., Dec. 19, 2010 at 4:00pm (Closing)

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