THE SANTALAND DIARIES Returning to Playhouse Square

Cleveland Public Theatre's Executive Artistic Director, Raymond Bobgan, announces the return of a holiday favorite, The SantaLand Diaries by David Sedaris, adapted by Joe Mantello, produced by the Cleveland Theatre and presented at the Outcalt Theatre at Playhouse Square this holiday season.

Written by acclaimed American humorist David Sedaris, The SantaLand Diaries is told from the perspective a 33-year-old out-of-work actor who takes a job as "Crumpet," a costumed Christmas Elf at Macy's department store. As thousands of holiday customers gaily tromp through his display, Crumpet regales the audience with hilarious observations about the realities of holiday cheer, all performed with a sardonic wit that has made The SantaLand Diaries an enduring holiday favorite.

About the Playwright:

David Sedaris made his comic debut recounting his strange-but-true experiences of being a Macy's elf clad in green tights, reading his SantaLand Diaries on National Public Radio's Morning Edition. Sedaris' sardonic humor and incisive social critique have since made him one of NPR's most popular and humorous commentators and a bestselling author in the United States and abroad. The great skill with which Sedaris slices through euphemisms and political correctness proves that he is a master of satire. Everywhere he goes David Sedaris delights his audience with his irreverent style and great humor. In addition to his commentaries on NPR, David Sedaris is the author of the best sellers Barrel Fever and Naked. His other book, a collection of Christmas related stories, is entitled Holiday on Ice. His most recent book of essays, Me Talk Pretty One Day, was published in June 2000 became an immediate bestseller. David and his sister, Amy Sedaris, have collaborated under the name The Talent Family and written several plays which have been produced at La Mama and at Lincoln Center in New York City. These plays include Stump the Host, Stitches, One Woman Shoe, which received an obie award, Incident at Cobbler's Knob and The Book of Liz. David is a regular contributor to Esquire magazine and his essays have also appeared in The New Yorker, Allure and Travel and Leisure. Sedaris' original radio pieces can often be heard on public radio's This American Life, distributed nationally by WBEZ in Chicago, as well as BBC radio in London. David Sedaris currently resides in Paris.

About the Performer:

RAY CASPIO (Crumpet the Elf) is a performance and teaching artist whose original work explores queer identity and the performer-audience relationship. During his tenure as associate artistic director of Cleveland's Theater Ninjas (2012-15), Ray conceived and performed TingleTangle, the acclaimed Weimar cabaret-inspired evening of personal storytelling, songs, sketches and no punches-pulled conversation about marriage equality, gender and sexuality. Other Ninjas performance credits include the original devised productions The Turing Machine (co-writer), Code: Preludes, The Excavation and The Excavation @ the Cleveland Museum of Art (lead creative team), Ninja Days @ the Cleveland Museum of Art (producer), Erato & Luigi (co-writer), Marble Cities, The Refrain and Monster Play (co-production with Cleveland Public Theatre); and the scripted Inoculations, Black Cat Lost and Telephone. He has also performed at Cleveland Public Theatre (The Importance of Waiting for the Eagle at Big Box '14; At-TEN-tion Span; and co-creator of the performance installation, Peek, at Pandemonium '12), convergence-continuum (An Apology...by Doctor John Faustus...) and Talespinner Children's Theatre (The Tale of the Name of the Tree). Ray is the creator of the Uncle Toots web series, and starred in the short films Cast Off and the multiple award-winning Loss Prevention. His training includes Alba Emoting, Michael Chekhov and Eccentric Performing. Ray is also an exhibited illustrator.

About the Director:

CATHLEEN O'MALLEY (director) is a performer, writer, educator and director. She has created and performed original, ensemble-devised work with companies regionally and abroad, including Relax Your Face (London), Zany Umbrella Circus (Amman), Akropolis Performance Lab, CorpusCorpus, SuttonBeresCuller (Seattle) and with inmates of the Washington State Corrections Center for Women through Freehold Studio's "Engaged Theatre Project." Prior to joining the Cleveland Public Theatre staff in 2013, Cathleen was the education director and an ensemble member of Touchstone Theatre, where she managed the company's award-winning education division and collaborated on 3 seasons of original shows. Cleveland stage credits include the original performance installation Cultivated at Pandemonium '13, Earth Plays, Spirits to Enforce, Fire on the Water (CPT), Cocopelli (Ensemble Theatre), The Emperor's Ears (Talespinner Children's Theatre), Boston Marriage and Ulysses at Nighttown (Mamaí Theatre). Cathleen is the creator of several original works for CPT, including Petite E.T., Wayward Rufous, Noonday I and Cuyahoga, Briefly. Cathleen has worked as a teaching artist for The Circus Space (UK), Cleveland State University, Young Audiences of Northeast Ohio, The Children's Museum of Jordan and Playhouse Square Community Engagement and Education, where she is involved in the ongoing development of immersive theatre experiences for the very young. Cathleen is a graduate of the London International School of Performing Arts (LISPA) and holds an MFA from Naropa University. She is the director of audience engagement and media relations at Cleveland Public Theatre.

Cast and Crew of The Santaland Diaries

The SantaLand Diaries was written by David Sedaris and adapted by Joe Mantello. The production is produced by Cleveland Public Theatre. The one-person show features actor Ray Caspio as "Crumpet."

The creative & production team includes: Beth Wood (Producer), Caitlin Lewins (Line Producer), Cathleen O'Malley (Director), Mandalyn Stevens (Stage Manager), Aaron Benson (Set Design), Jeff Lockshine (Lighting Design), James Kosmatka (Sound Design), Tina Spencer (Costume Designer), Esther M. Haberlen (Crumpet Costume Design).

Ticket & Show Information

The SantaLand Diaries runs Friday, November 27 through Sunday, December 20 in the Outcalt Theatre at Playhouse Square, located at 1407 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115. The show runs Wednesday through Sunday, times vary. See website for complete schedule.

Tickets are $30 each and can be purchased online at www.playhousesquare.org or by calling the Playhouse Square Ticket Office at (216) 241-6000.

Photo credit: Steve Wagner

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