The Santaland Diaries Plays Hennepin Stages 11/26-12/31

The Santaland Diaries, the stage adaptation of David Sedaris' acerbic and hilarious account of his stint working as a Christmas elf in Macy's "SantaLand," runs at Hennepin Stages in downtown Minneapolis, Friday, Nov. 26-Friday, Dec. 31, 2010. The Santaland Diaries, featuring actor Joe Leary, is a collaboration between Hennepin Theatre Trust and Frank Theatre. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m., Friday, September 10. To purchase or for more information visit www.HennepinTheatreTrust.org or call 1.800.982.2787.

Sedaris' sharp observations about his odd encounters during the season of forced joy have become a delightful cult classic for those looking for a comic antidote to Christmas treacle. The Santaland Diaries was adapted in 1996 by Joe Mantello, of "Love! Valour! Compassion!" fame, as a one-man, one-act play. This production features Joe Leary as "Crumpet," the elf. Leary was featured in the Emmy-nominated documentary "Peace Crimes" and will appear in Vera Farmiga's upcoming film "Higher Ground." He is familiar to local audiences through his work with History Theatre, Mary Worth Theatre and with Theatre Latté Da/Interact Theatre's "King of Hearts". Off-Broadway credits include "Talk Radio," "Dead Bird" and "All Men Are Whores." It is directed by Frank Theatre Artistic Director Wendy Knox, who has directed acclaimed versions of The Santaland Diaries at Syracuse Stage (NY) and Portland Center Stage.

David Sedaris is the New York Times best-selling author and National Public Radio humorist known for his essays Me Talk Pretty One Day, When You Are Engulfed in Flames and Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim. Sedaris first read The Santaland Diaries, with its delightfully sardonic and merrily subversive look at the commercial underbelly of the holiday season, on NPR's Morning Edition program in 1992. It was, as the Washington Post later described it, "...unforgettable, an autobiographical confession of a penniless, gay, would-be soap opera writer named Crumpet working as an elf at Macy's mega-department store on Herald Square in New York." The piece was so well-received and enduring that it gave Sedaris one of his first major breaks and it remains an annual NPR staple. He later published the essay in Barrel Fever (1994) and Holidays on Ice (1997). Sedaris is also scheduled to speak at the State Theatre, at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 21.

TICKET INFORMATION
The Santaland Diaries runs Nov. 26-Dec. 31, 2010 at Hennepin Stages, Lower Level (824 Hennepin Avenue, Mpls., 55402). Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m., Friday, Sept. 10. Ticket prices are $25 for adults, $20 for Minnesota Public Radio members and $15 for students and seniors. Groups of 10 or more save and should call 612.373.5665 for information and reservations. Tickets may be purchased in person at the State Theatre Box Office (805 Hennepin Ave., Mpls., 55402), online at HennepinTheatreTrust.org, or through Ticketmaster by calling 1.800.982.2787 or at a Ticketmaster Center. Run time is 70 minutes. Performance dates and times are Tuesday at 7 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 8:30 p.m., Saturday at 7 and 9:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. There are no shows Thursday, Dec. 23 through Saturday, Dec. 25 and show times on Friday, Dec. 31 are 7 and 9 p.m.

HENNEPIN THEATRE TRUST, owner of the historic State, Orpheum and Pantages Theatres, is a non-profit organization devoted to enriching the vibrant cultural atmosphere of the Twin Cities. The Trust's activities include Broadway touring productions, the SpotLight Musical Theatre Program for high schools, Critical View student reviewer program, Teen Ushers, the Access Program and Kids' Night. For more information, visit HennepinTheatreTrust.org.

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