Castle Craig Players to Bring THE SANTALAND DIARIES to New Haven, Collinsville & Meriden

Forget visions of sugarplums and carols sung fireside! The Castle Craig Players are bringing back their sold-out hit from last season - THE SANTALAND DIARIES, the sardonic "one-elf show" by award-winning American humorist David Sedaris.

And this year, by popular demand, the show will make a three-city tour around Connecticut, just in time to fill your holidays with hilarity!

Tour dates & venues are as follows:

November 25-27 - New Haven

The XFINITY Lounge at the Shubert Theatre (247 College Street, New Haven)

www.shubert.com or 203-562-5666

December 2-4 - Collinsville

Farmington Valley Stage Company (4 Market Street, Collinsville)

www.fvstage.org

December 8-11 - Meriden

Castle Craig Players (Almira F. Stephan Memorial Playhouse, 59 West Main St, Meriden)
www.castlecraig.org or 1-800-838-3006

"After a completely sold out and extended run last year, we received dozens of request to bring it back for 2016," said director Melanie Del Sole. "We then got inquiries from other venues looking to book the show for their own seasons, so we decided to take the show on the road!"

THE SANTALAND DIARIES follows a struggling young actor who takes a holiday job as an elf at Macys - and offers a sardonic, witty, irreverent accounting of elf training, bad Santa's, abusive customers, and humiliating conditions. Adapted for the stage by Joe Mantello, this sidesplitting one-man show is based on Sedaris' semi-autobiographical recount of his days in candy cane tights and curly toed shoes. Packed with witty, dry insights into crass commercialism, THE SANTALAND DIARIES is welcome antidote to the schmaltz of the season.

Long-time CCP veteran Ian Galligan returns as our merry misanthrope, recounting the tale of his stint at Macy's Department Store. "I am beyond thrilled to be getting back into the red and white tights this year," Galligan said. "As an actor, this show was one of the most challenging, but most rewarding, things I've done in my career."

"It's is perfect substitute to the other holiday shows that you've seen over and over," Galligan added. "It gives a cynical look at how the holiday season brings out the best, and sometimes the worst, in us all."

Tickets are on sale now for all venues. Please note, THE SANTALAND DIARIES is recommended for "mature elves only" (ages 14 & up), due to strong language and references.

Pictured: Ian Galligan as Crumpet in THE SANTALAND DIARIES. Photo by Erin Shaw.

2026 Theater Fans' Choice Awards - Live Stats

Best Direction of a Musical - Top 3

1. Michael Arden - The Lost Boys

30.3% of votes

2. Tim Jackson - Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)

13% of votes

3. Lear deBessonet - Ragtime

12.6% of votes

Vote Now! View Live Stats