Richmond Triangle Players Celebrate The Holidays With Hilarious THE SANTALAND DIARIES

Richmond Triangle Players celebrate the holidays with a revival of one of its most acclaimed productions, David Sedaris's hilarious The Santaland Diaries and Seasons Greetings. These two wacky tales, told in one delightful production adapted for the stage by Joe Mantello, will open Thursday, November 16, 2017 at 8 pm, following a low-priced preview on Wednesday, November 15. The production runs through December 16.

First produced at RTP almost 15 years ago, this hilarious holiday production brings two of satirist Sedaris's most beloved pieces to life onstage: a loving grandma's annual holiday letter about a Christmas gone very wrong, and the secret revelations of what really goes on at Macy's fabled Santaland as told by "Crumpet the Elf." RTP's revival will feature its original stars, Jacqueline Jones and Robert Throckmorton.

"Richmond Triangle Players has developed a real following for our 'wacky holiday show'," says RTP executive director Philip Crosby. "We were delighted that we could celebrate our 25th Anniversary Season with another look at these wonderful works - and to entice Jacqueline and Robert Back to perform them."

Jacqueline Jones shone at RTP in 5th Wall Theatre's The Lyons (Richmond Theatre Critics Circle Best Actress Nominee). Her RTP Y2K debut in Hysterical Blindness... featured Leslie Jordan; she starred in RTP's The New Century (RTCC Best Supporting Actress Nominee). Jackie originated roles in Theatre IV's Hugs and Kisses, helping prevent child sexual abuse, Barksdale's Songs from Bedlam, giving voice to the mentally ill, and Firehouse's Birth, chronicling childbirth in America.

Robert Throckmorton's work with RTP (all without trousers) include Miss Thick in Vampire Lesbian of Sodom/Sleeping Beauty, Joan Crawfish in Christina Darling, Almira in Miss Gulch Returns and Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest. Other favorite credits around town include Betty Bumbrake in Peter and the Starcatcher, Captain Hook in Peter Pan, John/James in Love! Valour! Compassion!, Tom in The Glass Menagerie, Frog in A Year with Frog and Toad, Hunk/Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz, Countess Aurelia in The Madwoman of Chaillot and Electra in Gypsy (both as guest artist with University of Richmond), Prior Walter in Angels in America: Millennium Approaches (guest artist VCU), Samovar in A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine, Cornelius in Hello, Dolly! and Josh in Big (both at Dogwood Dell Festival for the Arts).

The production also brings back the director of RTP's original production, T. Ross Aitken, as well as three designers nominated by the Richmond Theatre Critics Circle for Outstanding Designs: the set, including Macy's famous Christmas fantasyland, is by David Allan Ballas; costumes are by Alex Valentin; lighting design by Andrew Bonniwell; and sound design is by Lucian Restivo.

Richmond Triangle Players' performances take place at its home at the newly-named Robert B. Moss Theatre at 1300 Altamont Avenue, just northwest of the intersection of the Boulevard and West Broad Street. Reserved seat tickets ($30 for Fridays and Saturdays evenings at 8:00 pm, $28 for Thursday evenings at 8:00 pm and Sunday matinees at 4:00 pm, with discounts for groups and students) can be purchased online at RTP's web site at www.rtriangle.org, on RTP's facebook page, or by leaving a message on the RTP Ticket hotline at 804-346-8113.

The Robert B. Moss Theatre is a 4000-square foot performing arts facility accommodating flexible seating arrangements for up to 90 patrons. The building features fully ADA-compliant access and comfortable restrooms, as well as a generous bar, and catering capability, and is also available for cabaret performances and private events.

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