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Overview

Synopsis

When a down-on-his luck wannabe actor arrives in New York City at the end of the year, the only employment he can find is at Macy’s department store -- working in Santaland for the holiday season, as a reluctant, but relentlessly cheerful, elf. Newly christened “Crumpet”, our clever anti-hero shares his observations of the mayhem in front of and behind the scenes during one chaotic December, from aggressive parents and drunken Santas, to flirtatious actors, poor hygiene, and the racially charged hazards of being a “Pointer Elf.” Will Crumpet find a moment of pure Christmas spirit? Will he end up in Santa’s cottage with Snowball the elf? Will he escape with his life on Christmas Eve before being torn apart by enraged customers? Based on his beloved humorous and autobiographical essays, David Sedaris’ The Santaland Diaries, adapted for the stage by Joe Mantello, is a wry and witty look at the combination of retail hell and theatrical spectacle that is the holiday season, a sharp, narrowly observed dark comedy. The perfect Christmas treat for grownups, this one-man show has been an annual tradition at theaters across the United States for the past twenty years.

Show Information

Based On Book By
David Sedaris
Based on the Play/Book/Film
The Santaland Diaries
Category
Play
Age Guidance
Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
Number of Acts
1
First Produced
1996
Genres
Comedy
Settings
Contemporary, Simple/No Set, Unit/Single Set
Time & Place
1990s, macy's, santaland, new york city
Cast Size
small
Ideal For
All-Male Cast, Community Theatre, Mature Audiences, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Star Vehicle Male, Includes Adult Characters, Small Cast

Context


Plot


Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

Crumpet

Lead

Male

Spoken

Songs

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A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.

Monologues

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Scenes

All scenes are the property and copyright of their owners. Scenes are presented on StageAgent for educational purposes only. If you would like to give a public performance of this scene, please obtain authorization from the appropriate licensor.

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