‘Santaland Diaries’: a fun production for the holiday season

A holiday-themed production is now on stage at Northern Michigan University’s Forest Roberts Theatre, but it is here for a limited run.

Santaland Diaries tells the story of a man who works as an elf at Macy’s in New York City. It was designed as a one-man play, but since the show was popular when NMU produced last year, director Ansley Valentine decided to add two more actors.

“The response to it was incredible,” Valentine said. “We were in the smaller theater (the Blackbox) and we sold out and added a performance so we thought it would be great to bring it back again this year because it seemed to be so popular. There were a lot of people who wanted to see it but couldn’t. And then we decided to move it up to Forest Roberts so we’d have plenty of seats and have a little bigger production.”

The play is only 90 minutes long, so for people shopping all day Saturday it could be the perfect thing to see for a relaxing and enjoyable evening.

“Santaland Diaries is an incredibly funny play,” Valentine said. “It’s not really meant for kids, it’s meant for adults who maybe are a little stressed out about the holidays.”

“The character of Crumpet really just tells it like it is–all the things we think but just don’t say because we’re supposed to be merry and happy, and he’s not really a happy elf. And it’s really a lot of fun.”

The performance Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

Before the production at 6:30 p.m., there is a holiday party with the First Nighters Club that benefits the theater department’s scholarship fund.

Tickets are $5 for the play, and $10 for the holiday party. To buy tickets, click here.