Photo Flash: Houses on the Moon Theater Company Heads Into Rehearsal For THE SANTA CLOSET

Houses on the Moon Theater Company (Emily Joy Weiner, Co-Founder & Artistic Director; Kevin Connor, Managing Director) proudly presents The Santa Closet, written and performed by Jeffrey Solomon and directed by Joe Brancato (Daniel's Husband). The Santa Closet is an updated version of Mr. Solomon's acclaimed solo play Santa Claus is Coming Out, which premiered Off-Broadway in 2009. On the 10th anniversary of that production, this new version reflects the advances and nuances in our understanding of LGBTQ lives and remains as timely 10 years later as when it first broke ground.

The Santa Closet will have its premiere at Teatro Círculo Theater (64 East 4th Street in the East Village, NYC), performing a limited engagement from Tuesday, December 3 - Sunday, December 22, 2019. The Press Opening is Thursday, December 5th at 7 pm.

In The Santa Closet, little Gary's gender atypical gift request, sent to the North Pole, is denied. A series of subsequent heart-felt letters from the child nudge Santa Claus out of the closet ... right into the center of a heated culture war. Jeffrey Solomon, a theatrical documentarian in the mold of Anna Deveare Smith, lovingly sends up the form, purporting to have interviewed - and portraying - all the key players in the scandal known as "Santa-Gate."

The Santa Closet was inspired by the debate about discussing LGBTQ issues with children. Originally titled Santa Claus is Coming Out, the solo play debuted Off-Broadway in 2009 at The Kirk on Theatre Row. The New York Times called the play "A delightful surprise. This isn't a clumsy parody, but a sensitive, imaginative tale that really is about a boy's realization that he is different. Mr. Solomon portrays an amazing range of characters, all of them beautifully." Out magazine and Broadway World called the play "brilliant" and "hilarious." The play had an acclaimed run the following year at The Diversionary in San Diego and has been performed seasonally in theaters across the country - such as The Celebration Theatre and Theatre Asylum & Lab in Los Angeles, and The Theatre Project in Baltimore - since.

This production of The Santa Closet is the premiere of an updated version of the play. Says Mr. Solomon, "There have been great advances in LGBTQ rights and increased visibility in the past decade, and this is now reflected in the play. However, in many ways, discussing queer issues with children in much of the country is taboo. And of course, as of yet, there are still no queer main characters on any show or movie for young children. The Santa Closet imagines what would happen if this conversation was forced upon us, by literally having it come down our chimneys."

The creative team for The Santa Closet includes Claire DeLiso (scenic design), Christopher S. Chambers (lighting design), Yana Biryukova (projections design) and Obadiah Eaves (sound design/original music). The Production Stage Manager is Jamie Rose Bukowski.

The Santa Closet will play the following performance schedule: Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7 pm, Fridays at 8 pm, Saturdays at 2 pm and 8 pm, and Sundays at 3 pm (additional performance on Tuesday, December 3 at 7 pm).

Tickets are priced at $35 with Special Reserved Seating available at $55. Tickets may be purchased online at www.housesonthemoon.org. Student Rush: $20 cash-only at the door prior to performance, ID required, subject to availability. For Groups of 10+, contact groups@housesonthemoon.org.

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