Penfold Theatre Company Unveils Updated Cast and Creatives for A TUNA CHRISTMAS
Assisted by split-second costume changes, Will Mercer and Kirk Kelso will bring all 22 citizens of Tuna, the “third-smallest” town in Texas, to the stage.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Nov. 25, 2025
Penfold Theatre Company has revealed updated cast and creatives for the comedy, A Tuna Christmas written by Jaston Williams, Joe Sears, and Ed Howard. A Tuna Christmas runs December 12 – 28, 2025 at Penfold Theatre.
Assisted by split-second costume changes, Will Mercer and Kirk Kelso will bring all 22 citizens of Tuna, the “third-smallest” town in Texas, to the stage; under the direction of long-time Greater Tuna stage manager Robert Tolaro. In A Tuna Christmas, it’s 24 hours before Christmas and all comic hell is about to break loose as the delightfully eccentric characters attempt to cope with seasonal traumas.
On Christmas Eve, the local proprietor of the used weapons shop, Didi Snaveley, has decked her halls with Uzi’s, grenades, and switchblades. Baptist extraordinaire Vera Carp has visions of winning the local Yard Display Contest dancing through her head, but a mysterious “Christmas Phantom” is defacing people’s displays. Now, Vera’s life-size statues of Bing Crosby and Natalie Wood in the living nativity scene (complete with live sheep) are in jeopardy, while Bertha Bumiller’s family is falling apart on the spot. Her surly twins – Stanley and Charlene – and her philandering husband cannot even find the time to trim the tree and bake cookies. A Norman Rockwell painting this is not.
Directed by Robert Tolaro. Additional production team includes Set Design and Technical Direction by Holly and Patrick Crowley, Costume Design by Pam Friday, Lighting Design by Amy Lewis, Sound Design by Lowell Bartholomee, and Jennifer Anderson as Production Stage Manager.
Penfold is located at 2120 N. Mays St #290, Round Rock, TX 78664 in Rock Creek Plaza at I-35 and Texas Ave. Free parking is available on site. Round Rock Rides offers a convenient drop-off point at Rock Creek Plaza. To learn more about this low-cost ride-sharing program, visit here.
A TUNA CHRISTMAS
Written by Jaston Williams, Joe Sears and Ed Howard
Directed by Robert Tolaro
Starring Will Mercer and Kirk Kelso
December 12 – 28, 2025
Thursday – Saturday at 7:30pm | Sunday at 2pm | Additional Saturday matinees Dec 13 & 20 at 2pm
Penfold Theatre | 2120 N Mays St #290 | Round Rock, TX | 78664
Penfold Theatre Company presents A Tuna Christmas, by Jaston Williams, Joe Sears, and Ed Howard. In this comedic romp through Christmas Eve set in the fictional town of Tuna, Texas, all 22 characters––traditionally played by two male actors––will be portrayed by two women.
It’s Christmas Eve in Tuna, population 201, and stakes are high as the annual Christmas Yard Display contest is haunted by the Christmas Phantom; the local theatre production of A Christmas Carol is threatened by an unpaid light bill; and employees of the Tastee Kreme are forced to work through the holidays. In this satirically un-woke Texas town, no one is having a merry Christmas.
For anyone whose holidays are fraught with problematic relatives (or just straight-up problems), for anyone who wants to laugh at all the ways the holidays can go wrong (especially in Texas), this show is for you.
Age Recommendation: Ages 13+ for adult language and themes
Run Time: Approximately two hours.
Information on A Tuna Christmas is available at penfoldtheatre.org/event/tuna-christmas/.
Membership and Ticketing Information:
Single tickets are $37.04 and on sale now at penfoldtheatre.org.
Memberships are available for Penfold Theatre Company’s 2025-26 season. Members receive four tickets, and early access to reserved seating. Tickets may be used flexibly across the season for A Tuna Christmas, Wild Horses and Vincent. Membership also includes discounts on additional tickets and special events. Memberships start at $120 and are available HERE.
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