SANTA CLAUS IS COMING OUT Plays the Kirk Theater, Opens 11/29

Diverse City Theater Company, Penguin Rep Theatre and Shotgun Productions will reveal the truth behind the Santa-gate scandal in SANTA CLAUS IS COMING OUT, a new comedy written by and starring Jeffrey Solomon, directed by acclaimed director Joe Brancato. The show runs from November 29th thru December 20th at Theatre Row's The Kirk Theatre.

Developed at Penguin Rep Theatre, SANTA CLAUS IS COMING OUT, a theatrical mock-u-mentary, is about the worldwide scandal surrounding the outing of Santa Claus. Writer-performer Jeffrey Solomon traces the intensely personal struggle of the great holiday icon, as he tries to reconcile his love relationship with Italian toy maker Giovanni Geppetto with his passion for giving to the world's children.

SANTA CLAUS IS COMING OUT features more than a dozen iconic characters. Among them are Sidney Green, the "little Jew who saved Christmas;" nine year-old Gary, who asks Santa for a Sparkle Dream Princess doll; Mary Ellen, who evokes a 21st century Anita Bryant; Rudolph, elves, and many others.

"The show plays out against the backdrop of the latest salvo in America's Culture Wars: the debate on providing gay role models to children. It was inspired by my research into the parents' rights movement to keep gay issues out of the classroom," says Solomon.

Solomon is the recipient of the Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Actor for his solo show, MotherSON. The show also won Audience Favorite, Best Playwriting and Best Male Solo Performer at the National Gay and Lesbian Theatre Festival. For Santa Claus is Coming Out, he also won the Best of the National Gay and Lesbian Theatre Festival award. As a writer, Solomon wrote the pilot for Jim Henson's CityKids, which received an Emmy nomination for Best Children's Special and an Ollie Award for Excellence in Children's Programming. He was staff writer for Carsey-Werner/ABC TV, Tri-Star/Fox, and Nickolodeon. In addition, he penned a CityKids novelization for young adults published by Random House. Jeff is the co-Artistic Director of Houses on the Moon Theater Co. For more information, visit www.jeffsolo.com.

Director Joe Brancato is the Artistic Director and founder of Penguin Rep Theatre. He directed Karoline Leach's Tryst (Outer Critic's Nominee, Best Play) starring Maxwell Caulfield at the Promenade Theatre; Lee Blessing's Cobb (Drama Desk winner) produced by Kevin Spacey and Melting Pot at the Lucille Lortel Theatre and co-produced by Mr. Spacey and Garry Marshall in Los Angeles; James Sherman's From Door to Door at The Westside Theatre; Richard Vetere's One Shot, One Kill at Primary Stages; Angelo Parra's The Devil's Music: The Life and Blues of Bessie Smith at the Melting Pot Company; Joseph Gallo's My Italy Story; George Walker's Escape From Happiness starring Marsha Mason; The Big Swing (starring Madeline Kahn, Sarah Jessica Parker, Matthew Broderick, Marisa Tomei) and Dr. Valentine's Waltz (starring John Turturro, Laura Linney, Gina Gershon, Jane Alexander) at Naked Angels; Hold the Wedding produced by Joseph Papp. Joe has directed several regional productions including Seattle Rep, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Houston's Alley Theatre, Hartford Stage, Westport Playhouse, Capital Rep, Boston's New Rep, Hartford Theatreworks, and Florida Stage.

SANTA CLAUS IS COMING OUT begins performances on November 29th thru December 20th and will play Sunday, November 29th at 7:00pm, Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 8:00pm, Fridays at 7:00pm and 9:30PM and Saturdays at 2:00pm. There are no performances on Tuesdays.

For more information, visit the Diverse City Theatre Company's website at www.diversecitytheater.org.