Alley Theatre Presents THE SANTALAND DIARIES, Previews 11/28-12/2

This season, along with Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol - A Ghost Story of Christmas, which runs on the Hubbard Stage, the Alley Theatre will once again present a second holiday production, David Sedaris' The Santaland Diaries on the Neuhaus Stage. Company Actor Todd Waite will reprise his role as "Crumpet the Elf" in the outlandish, and true, chronicles of David Sedaris' experience as a worker in Macy's SantaLand display. This compact, one-character comedy has been described as "a dream rendition at the Alley Theatre, courtesy of the ideally cast Todd Waite" by the Houston Chronicle. The Santaland Diaries is an hilarious cult classic, featuring comic encounters during the height of the holiday crunch. NPR humorist and best-selling author of Me Talk Pretty One Day and Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, David Sedaris has become one of America's pre-eminent humor writers. Recommended for mature audiences due to language and subject matter.

Directed by David Cromer, The Santaland Diaries begins previews Saturday, November 28, opens Wednesday, December 2 and runs through Sunday, December 27 on the Neuhaus Stage.

The Santaland Dairies will feature Alley Theatre Artist Todd Waite reprising his role as Crumpet the Elf. Todd Waite is in his ninth season as an Alley Company Artist, appearing in over 40 productions: Our Town (Mr. Webb), Sherlock Holmes and The Crucifer of Blood (Sherlock Holmes), Rock ‘n' Roll (Jan), Mrs. Warren's Profession (Sir George Crofts), Cyrano de Bergerac (De Guiche), The Goat or Who is Sylvia? (Martin), Arsenic and Old Lace (Mortimer Brewster), Hapgood (Kerner), Deathtrap (Sydney), Twelfth Night (Orsino), Art (Ivan), Stones in His Pockets (Jake), and The Devil's Disciple (Burgoyne). Previously, Mr. Waite spent six seasons with the renowned Shaw Festival, was the Enjolras in the Canadian premiere of Les Miserables, and has guest starred on all major US and Canadian networks. Awards include: the Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship, Best Actor nomination: The Coronation Voyage (world premiere), and the Critic's Choice Award in for Intimate Exchanges (Dallas Theatre Center). He has directed several Canadian premieres, and was the resident director for Cirque du Soleil's "O" in Las Vegas. Mr. Waite is an adjunct professor for the University of Houston's Graduate Program in Theatre Education, and was coach for the Houston Grand Opera Studio. His private students attend Stage Door, Interlochen, Juilliard, DePaul, Yale, and The Royal Scottish Academy.

The design team of The Santaland Diaries includes scenic design by Karin Rabe (Alley Theatre Properties Master), costume design by Blair Gulledge (Alley's Sherlock Holmes and The Crucifer of Blood, Underneath the Lintel), lighting design by Kevin Rigdon (Alley's Our Town, Sherlock Holmes and The Crucifer of Blood, Mauritius) and sound design by Pierre Dupree (Alley's Sherlock Holmes and The Crucifer of Blood, The Man Who Came to Dinner, Secret Order).

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets to The Santaland Diaries start at $30. Tickets to The Santaland Diaries are available for purchase at www.alleytheatre.org, at the Alley Theatre Box Office, 615 Texas Avenue, or by calling 713.220.5700. Groups of 10 or more can receive special concierge services and select discounts by calling 713.315.3346. The added convenience of reservations by phone or Internet is available for a nominal fee.

CAPTIONED PERFORMANCE
Tuesday, December 1, 7:30 PM

The Alley Theatre is pleased to offer open captioning for many of our productions throughout the season. To ensure that your seats will accommodate your needs, please call the box office 713.220.5700 when ordering tickets to this performance. Discounted tickets are available for groups of ten or more. Call 713.315.3346 for more information.

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