The SantaLand Diaries
Theater: TheaterWorks
Production: The SantaLand Diaries
 Written by: Howard Steven Frydman

Merrily Subversive Holiday Comedy
The SantaLand Diaries
All New Production at TheaterWorks in Downtown Hartford
The Season’s Newest Holiday Classic runs December 4 - 23, 2012TheaterWorks SantaLand Diaries

What
The SantaLand Diaries by David Sedaris, adapted by Joe Mantello
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The SantaLand Diaries is a merrily subversive holiday comedy about an out of work writer who takes a job as an elf at Macy’s Department Store. Last seen on TheaterWork’s stage in 2005, this hysterically funny holiday classic will be directed by Rob Ruggiero.  Jeff Kready (Broadway’s Billy Elliot and Goodspeed’s Carousel) stars as Crumpet, the sardonic Yuletide elf. The SantaLand Diaries is the perfect antidote to the season’s usual heartwarming holiday fare.

The production’s design team includes Michael Lenaghan (Sets), Peg  Carbonneau (Costumes), Stephen Quandt (Lights) and Mike Miceli (Sound).  Production Manager is Michael Lenaghan.
Storyline:
Crumpet, a wickedly funny elf, is back in this strange-but-true account of      adventures in holiday retailing.  This delightfully thorny comedy from acclaimed satirist David Sedaris exposes the seamy underside of Santa’s workshop when a down and out-of-work cynical writer desperately takes a job as a Macy’s elf during the holiday crunch.

Press:
“Priceless observations, both outrageous and subtle.  Destined to hold a place in the annals of American humor writing.”


The New York Times


" A satirical brazenness that holds up next to Twain and Nathanael West."


- The New Yorker

"The SantaLand Diaries is quite possibly the thirty-one funniest pages of text published in the past quarter century … David Sedaris slays me."

 
- Seattle Weekly
When:
December 4 through December 23, 2012


Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays,
and Sundays: 

7:30 p.m.

Fridays and Saturdays: 8:00 p.m.

Weekend Matinees:
2:30 p.m.


No Sunday Matinee - November 4th
Special Evening Performance - Sunday November 4th 7:30pm

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Press Opening is Friday, December 7th at 8:00 p.m.

The Lobby and Gallery of American Art, sponsored by The Hartford Financial Services Group, opens 90 minutes prior to curtain; seating starts 60 minutes prior.
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Where:
TheaterWorks
City Arts on Pearl - 233 Pearl Street in Downtown Hartford
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Parking: Discounted parking is available to TheaterWorks' patrons for $5 at CityPlace Garage (diagonally up Pearl Street from TheaterWorks), 100 Trumbull Centre Garage (enter next to Quiznos) and the Q Lot, (adjacent to the Metropolitan apartment building).
Admission: All Seats – General Admission
$40

Current Subscribers
 $30

Senior Discount – Saturday matinees
$35

Center Reserved Service Charge
$13

College-age Student Rush w/ID
$17 (subject to availability)

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Holday Parties and discounts are available for groups.  Call for details.
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For seats call (860) 527-7838.
NO ONE UNDER THE AGE OF 16 ALLOWED FOR THIS SHOW.

The SantaLand Diaries is not a part of the 2012 -2013 Season.

TheaterWorks’ 2012 – 2013 Season:


ALMOST, MAINE by John Cariani
January 25 through March 3, 2013
Press Night - February 1, 2013
THE MOUNTAINTOP by Katori Hall
April 5 through May 12, 2013
Press Night - April 12, 2013
TBA
June 7 through July 14, 2013
Press Night - June 14, 2013
TIME STANDS STILL by Donald Margulies
August 9 through September 15, 2013
Press Night - August 16, 2013

TheaterWorks 2012 - 2013 FOUR Play Subscriptions are only $129.  With TheaterWorks’ unique subscription system patrons may attend a play any time they wish during its run and are credited with free seats if they ever miss a play.

For more information, please visit www.theaterworkshartford.org
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TheaterWorks receives program support from Bank of America, The Hartford Financial Services Group, Travelers, and United Technologies Corporation, and general support from J. Walton Bissell Foundation, Connecticut Office of the Arts, Greater Hartford Arts Council, and Hartford Foundation for Public Giving.




BIOS

Starring Jeff Kready as Crumpet the Elf
JEFF KREADY (Crumpet) TheaterWorks: Debut.  Broadway: Billy Elliot (Tony Elliot), Sunday in the Park with George revival, Les Miserablés revival (Jean Valjean u/s). National Tour: Billy Elliot. Off-Broadway: Tokio Confidential (Atlantic Theater). Favorite Regional: Mr. Snow in Carousel (Goodspeed Opera House), In This House (world premiere, Two River Theater), Godspell (Jesus), Anything Goes (Billy), Thoroughly Modern Millie (Jimmy), CATS (Rum Tum Tugger), 42nd Street (Billy). TV: Boardwalk Empire (HBO). Education: BA in Voice Performance and Vocal Music Education from Washburn University. One time Kansas music teacher, now proud member Actor&rsquo ;s Equity Association. Thanks to Rob, The Mine, acting coach David Hibbard, and wife Nikki for undying support. @jk_ready   www.jeffkready.com.


DAVID SEDARIS (Writer) made his comic debut recounting his strange-but-true experiences of being a Macy's elf clad in green tights, reading his SantaLand Diaries on National Public Radio's Morning Edition. Sedaris' sardonic humor and incisive social critique have since made him one of NPR's most popular and humorous commentators and a best-selling author in the United States and abroad. In addition to his commentaries on NPR, David Sedaris is the author of the best-sellers and Naked.  His collection of Christmas related stories is entitled Holiday on Ice. His book of essays Me Talk Pretty One Day was published in June 2000, became an immediate best-seller. David and his sister, Amy Sedaris, have collaborated under the name The Talent Family and written several plays which have been produced at La Mama and at Lincoln Center 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. David is a regular contributor to Esquire magazine and his essays have also appeared in The New Yorker, Allure, and Travel and Leisure.  Sedaris' original radio pieces can often be heard on public radio's This American Life, distributed nationally by WBEZ in Chicago, as well as BBC radio in London. David Sedaris currently resides in Paris.


JOE MANTELLO (Adapted )Directing credits include Assassins (Tony Award); WIicked; Take Me Out (Tony Award); Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune; A Man o f No Importance; Design for Living; Terrence McNally and Jake Heggie's Dead Man Walking for the San Francisco Opera; The Vagina Monologues; Bash; Another American: Asking and Telling; Love! Valour! Compassion!; Proposals; The Mineola Twins; Corpus Christi; Mizlansky/Zilinsky or Schmucks; Blue Window; God’s Heart; The SantaLand Diaries; Lillian; Snakebit; Three Hotels; Imagining Brad; and Fat Men in Skirts. Mr. Mantello also directed the film Love! Valour! Compassion! As an actor he appeared in Angels in America (Tony nomination) and The Baltimore Waltz. He is the recipient of the Outer Critics Circle, Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel, Helen Hayes, Clarence Derwent, Obie, and Joe A. Callaway awards. He is a member of Naked An gels and an associate artist at the Roundabout.
Rob Ruggiero

ROB RUGGIERO (Director) TheaterWorks: Over forty productions including Venus in Fur, I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti, HIGH, Take Me Out, Lobby Hero, Rabbit Hole, and The Little Dog Laughed; also conceived, developed and directed Ella (starring Tina Fabrique) playing regional theaters nationwide since 2005.  Broadway: Looped (starring Valerie Harper in a Tony Award nominated performance); HIGH (starring Kathleen Turner). Off-Broadway: All Under Heaven (also starring Valerie Harper), as well as conceiving and directing the original musical revue Make Me a Song: The Music of William Finn (Drama Desk / Outer Critics Circle Nominations). Regional: Rob has been recognized nationally for directing both plays and musicals. His work has been seen at major regional theaters around the country, including: Arena Stage , Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, The Guthrie Theater, The Pittsburgh Public Theater, and The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. For Goodspeed Musicals, Rob directed 1776, Big River, Camelot, Annie Get Your Gun, Show Boat and this season's Carousel. Rob has been a partner in the artistic leadership of TheaterWorks since 1993 and is currently serving as the Interim Artistic Director.

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