[NEohioPAL] Berko review: THE SANTALAND DIARIES (Cleveland Public Theatre) and previews

[Roy Berko]

‘SANTALAND DIARIES’ a pleasant holiday escape at CPT;
upcoming events

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--

Lorain County Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News
Times--Olmsted-Fairview Times	

--COOLCLEVELAND.COM--

David Sedaris, author of ‘THE SANTALAND DIARIES, which
is getting its umpteenth local production, this time
at Cleveland Public Theatre, credits his fame to the
attention he got when he read his “SantaLand” essay on
National Public Radio.  

In 2001, Sedaris was selected to receive the Thurber
Prize for American Humor and was named by Time
magazine as “Humorist of the Year.”  He is the author
of the best selling ‘NAKED’ and ‘ME TALK PRETTY ONE
DAY,’ both collections of his personal life
experiences.

‘THE SANTALAND DIARIES’ is a one-man show which is
supposedly a true account of Sedaris’ stint as an elf
at Macy’s department store in New York.  First read as
an on-air essay on December 23, 1992, the material was
reworked into a play in 1996 by Joe Mantello.  It has
since become a staple of the holiday season on both
professional and amateur stages.

Under the direction of B. D. Bethune, Cleveland Public
Theatre’s production, which stars Doug Kusak, is a
pleasant evening of theatre.

Kusak has a mobile face, a good sense of comic timing,
nicely underplays the role and is generally delightful
as Crumpet, the elf in green velvet smock and red and
white stockings.  He interacts well with the audience,
without making anyone uncomfortable.  His highlights
are a Billie Holliday interpretation of “Away in the
Manger,” and his compassionate final speech when he
relates a tale of what may be his working with the
“real” Santa Claus.  

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:  If you are in the holiday mood,
and can put up with another jolt of festive cheer,
Cleveland Public Theatre’s ‘SANTA LAND DIARIES’ will
entertain you.  

 ‘THE SANTALAND DIARIES’ plays through December 22  at
Cleveland Public Theatre.  For tickets call
216-631-2727.

CPT’s next major production is  ‘THE CONFESSIONS OF
PUNCH AND JUDY’ (February 7-23).  The show, which is
in its return engagement, was an original work which
was born on the CPT stage.  

UPCOMING EVENTS

Red an orchestra performs on Saturday, December 8 at 8
PM (Pilgrim Congregational United Church of Christ,
2592 West 14th Street, Tremont and Sunday, December 9
at 3 (St. Stanislaus Church, 3649 East 65th Street in
Slovic Village.   The program salutes the Holiday
season with this unusual program.  Cleveland Heights'
15-year-old violin virtuoso Caroline Goulding
performs.  Buy tickets at the door.

‘GEORGE GERSHWIN ALONE,’ January 15-Febuary 3 at The
Cleveland Play House.  Based on the music of George
and Ira Gershwin, the one-man play stars Hershey
Felder.  For tickets call 216-795-7000 extension 235.

Back by popular demand from its sold out appearance
last year, GroundWorks Dancetheater will perform at
the Cleveland Botanical Garden.  The performance, part
of GroundWorks’ Landmark Series and the Botanical
Garden’s Winter Awakenings, will take place Friday and
Saturday, January 27 and 28 at 7:30pm, and Sunday,
January 29 at 2:30pm.  Tickets can be purchased at the
door or reserved by calling 216-721-1600 .

Verb Ballets will present an all new program at 8 PM
on January 26  at the Ohio Theatre .  For tickets call
216-297-3757 or 216-241-6000 or go to
playhousesquare.org.

Playhouse Square Center:
‘AVNER THE ECCENTRIC’
with comedy that defies the
barriers of language and culture, it's no wonder Avner
was recently inducted into the International Clown
Hall of Fame.  One night only
.January 12. Tickets: 
216-241-6000 or go to playhousesquare.org

‘AVENUE Q’
Broadway's 2004 Tony Award winner for BEST
MUSICAL.  Full of heart and hummable tunes, ‘AVENUE Q’
is about trying to make it in NYC with big dreams and
a tiny bank account.  A cast of people and puppets
tell the story in a smart and risqué manner. 
Definitely not for children!  Dates:  January 15-27.
Tickets:  216-241-6000 or go to playhousesquare.org.
 
 


Roy Berko's blog, which contains theatre and dance reviews from 2001 through 2007, as well as his consulting and publications information, can be found at http://royberko.info
      
Roy's theatre and dance reviews appear regularly on NeOHIOpal, an on-line source.   To subscribe to this free service via the World Wide Web, visit http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/neohiopal.  His reviews also appear on www.coolcleveland.com


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