Horizon Theatre's THE SANTALAND DIARIES to Celebrate 15 Years of Holiday Hilarity, 11/22-12/31

Back for its 15th Anniversary Production, Horizon Theatre Company turns "ho ho ho" into "ha ha ha" as it reprises its popular production of The Santaland Diaries by award-winning satirist David Sedaris. The perfect laughter-spiked antidote to the holiday blues, Creative Loafing calls this non- traditional, adult-only, Christmas comedy "a fiendishly exhilarating, politically incorrect send-up of the holidays."

Sardonic, satirical, and sarcastic, our merry misanthrope, played for the 15th year by Harold M. Leaver, recounts the tale of his stint as a Macy's Department Store elf named Crumpet. Adapted from David Sedaris' best-selling book Holidays on Ice, this holiday tale is a modern classic, made famous when it aired on National Public Radio. Joining Leaver this year as Crumpet's sidekicks are Enoch King, returning for his eighth stint in Santaland after appearing in Horizon's productions The Waffle Palace and every tongue confess earlier this season, and for her second year, LaLa Cochran, most recently seen in the original cast of The Waffle Palace at Horizon, Walter Cronkite is Dead at Aurora Theatre, and Good People at the ALLIANCE THEATRE.

The Santaland Diaries runs November 22 - December 31, 2013. Performances are Tuesday through Friday at 8 PM, Saturday at 8:30 PM, and Sunday at 6 PM. There will be a performance on Christmas Eve. Tickets are $25-$40. Upgrade to the VIP experience for $15, which includes reserved seating and a complimentary holiday beverage. Tickets and information are available at horizontheatre.com or 404.584.7450.

Welcome to this wicked wonderland and expose? of all things elfin. Out of work and middle-aged, a writer in need of holiday cash decides to employ his gift for insightful observation in the trade of elfdom at Macy's Department Store. Besieged by bratty kids with overzealous parents and donning a humiliating costume, he finds that his cynical self and his elfin alter ego, "Crumpet," are not exactly compatible. His remedy for the saccharine overdose he endures in his never-endingly exuberant job is to tell all - giving us a backstage pass to the secret lives of Santas and elves. Though definitely not your traditional stocking stuffer, this caustic Christmas carol is a laughter-spiked antidote to the holiday blues. The Santaland Diaries serves up holiday cheer and sneer - and a rebel without a Claus.

David Sedaris may well be the closest thing the literary world has these days to a rock star. He made his comic debut recounting his strange-but-true experiences of his job as a Macy's elf clad in green tights, reading his Santaland Diaries on NPR's Morning Edition. His sardonic wit and incisive social critique have since made him one of America's pre-eminent humor writers. Sedaris is the author of the bestsellers Barrel Fever and Holidays on Ice, as well as collections of personal essays, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, Naked, and Me Talk Pretty One Day. 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. 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 was published in April 2005. In 2005, 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").

Performances of The Santaland Diaries run November 22 - December 31, 2013. Show times are Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday 8 PM; Saturday at 8:30 PM; and Sunday at 6 PM. There are no performances on November 26 and 28 or December 3 and 25. There are additional performances on Monday, December 23 at 8 PM and Monday, December 30 at 8 PM.

General admission tickets for The Santaland Diaries are $25-$40. Upgrade to the VIP experience for $15 which includes reserved seating and a complimentary holiday beverage. Platinum VIP tickets are available for $100 and include front row seating, complimentary holiday beverages, and sumptuous treats. Tickets may be ordered by phone at 404.584.7450 or online at horizontheatre.com. Ticket prices are subject to change. Eight percent sales tax will be added to all ticket orders. Internet convenience fee added to all online orders. No refunds, exchanges, or late seating. Holiday gift certificates are also available.

The Santaland Diaries is the perfect way to spice up your holiday gathering. Group discounts are available for parties of 10 or more. Horizon has a lounge space available for rental for pre-show gatherings. Contact Group Sales at 404.523.1477 x111 for more information. The Santaland Diaries contains mature language and situations. It is not intended for children.

Horizon Theatre Company, 1083 Austin Avenue, connects people, inspires hope and promotes positive change the stories of our times. We produce professional area and world premieres of smart, funny, and provocative contemporary plays.

To post a comment, you must register and login.