Katherine Niedzwiadek News

Spectrum Theatre Ensemble (STE) of Providence continues their inaugural season with THE SANTALAND DIARIES & SEASON'S GREETINGS, by David Sedaris, adapted by Joe Mantello, and directed by Clay B. Martin (Providence, RI). 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 a?oeCrumpeta??, 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 a?oePointer Elf.a?? Will Crumpet find a moment of pure Christmas spirit? 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.

Spectrum Theatre Ensemble (STE) of Providence will present ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST, adapted by Dale Wasserman, from the novel by Ken Kesey, and directed by Clay B. Martin (Providence). The play tells the story of institutional madness where obedience and conformity are the only acceptable indications of good mental health. Randle P. McMurphy, a charismatic rogue, instantly questions the procedures of the asylum, a system at odds with the individual. The 'system' is most clearly represented by cold and calculating Nurse Ratched, and the play is presented from the perspective of Chief Bromden, who views the asylum as a giant machine that was built to control him and his fellow inmates.