Released: December 9, 2009
Lincoln, Neb. – The Nebraska Repertory Theatre, the professional theatre of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, presents Executive Director Paul Steger in David Sedaris’s biting comedy The Santaland Diaries. The production, directed by Artistic Director Virginia Smith, will have performances December 9 and 10 at 7:30 pm, December 11 and 12 at 7:30 and 10:00 pm, and December 13 at 2:00 pm in the Studio Theatre, first floor of the Temple Building at 12th and R Streets. Tickets are $20, $18 faculty/staff and senior citizens, and $10 students with ID. Tickets are available from the Lied Center Ticket Office, 301 N. 12 Monday through Friday 11 AM to 5:30 PM and one hour prior to the performance in the Temple Theatres Lobby, or by telephone at 472-4747 or 800-432-3231.
In 1992 David Sedaris, playwright, comic, and wickedly funny commentator on National Public Radio, wrote an uproarious essay based on his ultimate nightmare: working as a Santaland Elf at Macy’s in New York City. The plot is built around the musings of a single character, “a writer” who begins the play by scoffing at a classified ad for seasonal employment as an elf at Macys. A newcomer to New York, the character has not achieved the fame and fortune he had dreamed of, and is forced to take anything to cover the rent. From the process of filling out applications to the final moments of Christmas Eve, audiences are taken on a ride through the outlandish world of Santaland and Sedaris’ deft dissection of Christmas.
As his elfin alter ego “Crumpet,” the character alternates from introspective ramblings, to over-the-top outbursts, to biting mean-spirited descriptions, with maybe just a crumb of holiday spirit thrown in. Crumpet shares the stage with lots of other elves and Santas, harried parents and children hopped up with joy on steroids. Santaland affirms the grinch in each of us.
Please note that Santaland Diaries isn’t suitable for children younger than 13. Some references are for adults only.
The scenery is designed by Ed Stauffer, costumes by Val J. Harper, lighting by Dan Stratman and sound by Jeff O’Brien.
Paul Steger has worked extensively on stage and screen in Los Angeles, Chicago and St. Louis, but he’s also no stranger to Lincoln stages. Some of you may remember him as Bob Cratchit in A Christmas Carol at the Lied Center, Dvornichek in Rough Crossing and Ariel in The Tempest for NRT. He played Escalus in Measure for Measure, the title role in Scapino for University Theatre, Puck in Benjamin Britten’s A Midsummer Nights Dream for the School of Music, and Mercutio in Romantic Rhapsody with the Lincoln Symphony Orchestra. He has also appeared in Fever and Six By with Element Theatre Company, and The Objecting Itself and Life in the Bush of Ghosts.
Production information is available by contacting the Lied Center Ticket Office at 402-472-4747, 800-432-3231 or at 301 N. 12th street, or at http://www.unl.edu/rep.