The Santaland Diaries & Season’s Greetings
by David Sedaris
adapted for the stage by Joe Mantello
December 5-26, 2008
“One of the funniest shows this season…deliciously, devilishly fun.”
- Joanne Rochman, The Acorn Papers
Read the complete review!
“Quite witty…[Santaland] reveals more than you would ever want to know about the behind-the-scenes activities with Santa…[in Season's Greetings] Mrs. Jocelyn Dunbar, brought to frightening life by Kim McGrath.”
- Bonnie Goldberg, Middletown Press
“When cultural historians look at the 1990s and ask what classics the decade added to the Christmas canon, they — if they’re being honest — will no doubt count The Santaland Diaries…which Playhouse on the Green has selected for its holiday show.”
- Fairfield County Weekly
“I am a 33-year-old man applying for a job as an elf…”
- The Santaland Diaries
“The desire to stand by your friends and family is the very foundation upon which we celebrate the Christmas season…isn’t it???!!!”
- Season’s Greetings
Producer/Director: Matt Schicker
Lighting Design: Devon Spaght
Elf Costume Design: Michael Wilson Morgan
Sound Design: Jim DeVivo
Production Stage Manager: Jennifer Samath
Light Board Operator: Donald Rowe
Featuring: Scott R. Brill and Kim McGrath.
Parental Discretion Advised: Some adult humor.
Scott R. Brill as “Crumpet the Elf” in The Santaland Diaries at Playhouse on the Green. Photo by Mark Graham.
Playhouse on the Green has a hilarious way to keep things jolly this holiday season: the irreverent humor of award-winning writer David Sedaris! Adapted for the stage by Joe Mantello, director of Wicked, The Ritz, Glengarry Glen Ross, and other Broadway shows, The Santaland Diaries is based on National Public Radio commentator Sedaris’ 1992 essay recounting his bizarre experiences working as a Macy’s “Elf” during the holiday season. Packed with witty, dry insights into crass commercialism, The Santaland Diaries is a welcome antidote to the schmaltz of the season. Its companion piece, Season’s Greetings, offers the holiday musings of a picture-perfect homemaker whose annual “family update” letter reveals some disturbing details! The Santaland Diaries and Season’s Greetings runs for 10 performances only, December 5-26.
Kim McGrath as Mrs. Jocelyn Dunbar in Season’s Greetings to Our Friends and Family!!!! at Playhouse on the Green. Photo by Mark Graham.
Performance Schedule
Friday, December 5 at 8PM – Opening Night
Saturday, December 6 at 8PM
Sunday, December 7 at 3PM
Friday, December 12 at 8PM
Saturday, December 13 at 8PM
Sunday, December 14 at 3PM
Thursday, December 18 at 8PM
Friday, December 19 at 8PM - RESCHEDULED DUE TO WEATHER
Saturday, December 20 at 8PM
Sunday, December 21 at 3PM
ADDED PERFORMANCE: Friday, December 26 at 8PM
David Sedaris has become one of America’s pre-eminent humor writers. David Sedaris is the author of the bestsellers Barrel Fever and Holidays on Ice, as well as collections of personal essays, Naked, Me Talk Pretty One Day, and Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, each 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. Sedaris’ original radio pieces can often be heard on This American Life on NPR. In 2001, David Sedaris became the third recipient of the Thurber Prize for American Humor and he was named by Time magazine as “Humorist of the Year”. David Sedaris was nominated for two Grammy Awards.
Scott R. Brill (David/”Crumpet”) - Scott received his Masters in Theatre Directing from Emerson College in Boston where he directed Man of La Mancha, The Ruffian on the Stair, four plays by Samuel Beckett and numerous one-acts. As a performer, Scott’s roles onstage include Allan Felix in Play It Again, Sam (for which he won the Square One Theatre Subscriber’s Award for Outstanding Actor); Antony Wilding in Enchanted April (New Canaan Town Players); Gonzalo in The Tempest, Hortensio in Taming of the Shrew (Putney Players); Ko-Ko in The Mikado (Musicals at Richter); Wes Hurley in Fifth of July, Lloyd Dallas in Noises Off, Jesus in Godspell (Wilton Playshop); Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet, Prince Dauntless in Once Upon A Mattress (SHU Center for the Performing Arts), and Albert in The Secret Garden (Warner Theatre). Scott also originated the roles of Father Ferriera in the musical Fatima (Mertens Theatre) and Miles Standish in Pilgrims, the Musical (Long Wharf Theatre, Stage II). Scott’s directing credits for area theaters include Da, What the Butler Saw, ART, Vanities, The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, Rumors, Our Town, Blithe Spirit, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella, The Sisters Rosensweig, The Real Thing, As Bees In Honey Drown, The Actor’s Nightmare, Gypsy, South Pacific, Jeffrey, and Burn This. Scott has taught acting at Sacred Heart University where he also directed a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Scott is an Associate Member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers and last season served as President of the Westport Community Theatre. He will be directing a production of Steel Magnolias for the Darien Players in May, 2009. Scott wishes to dedicate his performance in The Santaland Diaries to his Mother and thanks Kevin for his love and support.
Kim McGrath (Mrs. Dunbar) – Season’s Greetings is Kim’s first production at Playhouse on the Green and as a fan of David Sedaris, she is thrilled to finally be performing one of his pieces! Kim has appeared on stage in various theaters in the region as well as in Dallas where she received theater and voice-over training with Jeff Alexander. Local theater credits include the title role in A Portrait of Edna St. Vincent Millay and Sally in Lenny (The New Haven Theatre Co.); Emma in Mackerel (Theatremania); Mrs. Bradman in Blithe Spirit and Amanda in Private Lives (Eastbound Theatre); Charlotte in Moon Over Buffalo and Karen in Dinner with Friends (The Wilton Playshop); Dr. Seward in Dracula (Actor’s Ensemble); and Iris in The Putney Players’ production of The Tempest. Kim is grateful to have the opportunity to work with such a dedicated and talented director and crew here at the Playhouse and would also like to thank her loving husband and guitar hero, Joe for his support and deadpan response to all her jokes.
Scott R. Brill as “Crumpet the Elf” in The Santaland Diaries by David Sedaris at Playhouse on the Green. Photo by Mark Graham.
Kim McGrath as Mrs. Jocelyn Dunbar in Season’s Greetings to Our Friends and Family!!!! by David Sedaris at Playhouse on the Green. Photo by Mark Graham.
