Santa story for adults set to debut

Published 9:59 am Monday, March 24, 2014

Editor’s note: The 11-27-13 edition listed the incorrect location for the second weekend. Read the correct location below.

Sequim Gazette staff

After seeing the popular speaking performance of author David Sedaris last year, Readers Theatre Plus hope Sedaris’ fans turn out for his first well-known work “SantaLand Diaries” starting this weekend in Sequim.

The one-man show starring Richard Stephens as disgruntled Christmas elf “Crumpet” in a Macy’s Department Stores runs 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday Nov. 29-30, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 1 at the Dungeness Schoolhouse, 2781 Towne Road.

 The following weekend it runs at 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, Dec. 6-7, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8 at Studio Bob, 118-1/2 East Front St., in Port Angeles.

Stephens, who first came across Sedaris’ work on NPR’s “This American Life,” said the performance is rebroadcast annually and just as much a tradition for some people as watching “A Christmas Carol.”

Last year, he met Sedaris as his stage manager and found him to be gracious and kind to all of his fans.

“Having worked holiday retail for years, worked many holiday seasons for the U.S. Postal Service, and now as a retail store manager, I can so relate to the scary customer encounters, the overwhelming experience that can be the hectic holiday shopping madness and the soul crushing grind that it can be to be “cheerful” and “merry” throughout the chaos and screaming crowds of the Christmas season,” Stephens said.

“I can really relate to this character, I know that several times I have wanted to shout out the things that this character says. Perhaps that is why I so love this role, I get  to vicariously live out every oppressed retailers dream by giving voice to the frustrations of put upon sales clerks everywhere.”

Stephens is reunited with his friend and director Pat Owens for the show.

“Pat is a very supportive, generous director and as a seasoned, veteran actor, he knows how to get what he wants from actors in the most calm and gentle ways.”

Stephens said the play is a great way to cleanse your holiday palate from the gooey sweets one TV.

“This show has more fruits and nuts then Aunt Bella’s fruitcake and the characters are just as dense,” he said.

All proceeds for the show will benefit Puppy Pilots, an organization dedicated to training guide dogs for the blind.

Because this is a one-act piece, lasting less than an hour, tickets are only $12.50 or if purchased in advance, two for $20. Tickets may be purchased at Pacific Mist Books in Sequim or Odyssey Books in Port Angeles.  For more information, call Readers Theatre Plus at 797-3337.