Press Release

 

David Sedaris’ irreverant The Santaland Diaries skewers the holidays at Triad Stage’s UpStage Cabaret, November 20 – December 20, 2008

 

Bing Putney stars as disgruntled elf Crumpet in this comedy for grown ups only

(Greensboro, NC) — Triad Stage presents the return of David Sedaris’ hit one-man show, The Santaland Diaries, in The UpStage Cabaret. Welcome back the quintessential elf gone bad in this hilarious antidote for holiday havoc. Spend some time with the irreverent Crumpet – one of Santa’s little helpers during the Macy’s Christmas shopping rush – as he copes with thousands of shoppers and their kiddies with his whacked out, wicked wit. The Santaland Diaries runs November 20 through December 20, 2008. Opening Night is Thursday, November 20 and kicks off with a pre-show reception at 6:00 p.m., hosted by 88.5 WFDD. The Santaland Diaries is not recommended for younger audiences.

David Sedaris originally wrote the essay The Santaland Diaries as a true account of his time spent working as an elf in “SantaLand” at Macy’s department store in New York. Sedaris gained national fame after reading the essay on National Public Radio in 1992, and published it in his collections Barrel Fever and Holidays on Ice. In 1996, Tony Award ®-winning director Joe Mantello (Wicked, the upcoming Broadway production of 9 to 5) adapted the story as a one-act, one-man stage play.

This 2008 production marks the third time The Santaland Diaries has been performed at Triad Stage, the first two times being holiday specials in 2004 and 2005. In this new production directed by Jay Putnam, Greensboro native Bing Putney dons the elf outfit as Crumpet while local singer/songwriter/musician Jessica Mashburn lends her support on the piano. Putney is a graduate of Page High School/Weaver Academy who went on to study at Emerson College in Boston and now resides in New York City. Mashburn spent several years as the vocalist of a jazz band in Pinehurst and toured with two Top 40 bands. She performs as her alter ego, Lendy Pendent, and in the dueling piano duo 176.

The creative team includes scenic designer Christian Young, costume designer Ami Shupe, lighting designer Nicholas Hussong and sound designer Janie Bullard. The stage manager is Emily Mails.  

Biographies for the cast and creative team are online at www.triadstage.org.
Tickets for all seats are $18 and seating is general admission. The doors open one hour prior to each performance for bar service inside The UpStage Cabaret space. Tickets are on sale now at the Triad Stage Box Office and online through Triad Stage’s website.

All performances are at Triad Stage’s UpStage Cabaret on the top floor of The Pyrle Theater, located at 232 South Elm Street in historic downtown Greensboro, North Carolina (between Market and Washington Streets).

Show times for The Santaland Diaries are Wednesdays – Saturdays at 7:00 p.m., with additional late night performances Fridays and Saturdays at 10:00 p.m. There is no performance on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 27.

The Santaland Diariesis the second of four Triad Stage theatrical productions in The UpStage Cabaret in the 2008-2009 Season. The upcoming productions include Mad at Miles, a blackwoman’s guide to truth by Pearl Cleage (February 5 – March 14, 2009) and Shakespeare’s R&J, an awakening of youth by Joe Calarco (April 9 – May 16, 2009).

About Triad Stage
Triad Stage is a professional not-for-profit regional theatre company based in Greensboro’s downtown historic district. All Triad Stage productions are created in Greensboro using the best of local and national talent. Triad Stage gratefully acknowledges the support of its Season Sponsors: Mitre Agency, the North Carolina Arts Council and the United Arts Council of Greater Greensboro.

All Triad Stage productions feature the bold acting and breathtaking design that have been nationally recognized by The Wall Street Journal and haveearned the theatre accolades including “One of the Best Regional Theatres in America”, New York’s Drama League; “Best Live Theater”, Go Triad/News & Record and The Rhinoceros Times; and “Professional Theater of the Year”, North Carolina Theatre Conference. 

About The UpStage Cabaret
In late 2007, Triad Stage began the conversion of The Pyrle Theater’s top floor storage area into a new rehearsal hall, WUNC Public Radio’s Greensboro satellite bureau and a second performance space known as The UpStage Cabaret. Created with flexibility and intimacy in mind, The UpStage Cabaret has seating with tables for 80 people, bar service and a relaxed, easy-going atmosphere that blends downtown flair with uptown chic. Not only home to four daring and edgy productions by Triad Stage, The UpStage Cabaret plays host to Entertainment UpStage – a series of events that includes film screenings, live concerts, poetry readings and more – and the annual Triad Stage/UNCG Theatre THTR 232 productions each spring. The UpStage Cabaret Media Sponsor is YES! Weekly. WFDD 88.5 is the production sponsor for The Santaland Diaries.

To purchase tickets or for performance information on The Santaland Diaries, call the Triad Stage Box Office at 336.272.0160 or toll-free at 866.579.TIXX (8499), or visit www.triadstage.org.

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CALENDAR EDITORS, PLEASE NOTE:

Triad Stage presents
The Santaland Diaries
A Big Kids’ Holiday Event
by David Sedaris
directed by Jay Putnam
November 20 – December 20, 2008

Performed in The UpStage Cabaret at the Pyrle Theater
232 South Elm Street
Greensboro, NC 27401

Welcome back the quintessential elf gone bad in David Sedaris’ hilarious antidote for holiday havoc. Spend some time with the irreverent Crumpet – one of Santa’s little helpers during the Macy’s Christmas shopping rush – as he copes with thousands of shoppers and their kiddies with his whacked out, wicked wit.

This production is not recommended for young audiences.

For tickets:
Phone: (336) 272-0160
Toll-free: (866) 579-TIXX (8499)
Box Office hours: Monday – Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Online: www.triadstage.org
Ticket price: $18. Seating is general admission.

Doors open one hour early for bar service inside The UpStage Cabaret.

Group tickets:
Call (336) 274-0067 ext. 218
Email: groupsales@triadstage.org
Ticket discounts: Groups of 10 – 49, 15% off; Groups of 50+, 20% off

$8 Student Rush tickets:
Current students with valid school ID may purchase tickets for $8. Student Rush tickets are only available at the Triad Stage Box Office one hour before each performance. Subject to availability. Some restrictions apply.
Available at the Box Office for walk-up sales. (Performance days: Sunday, Tuesday – Thursday, 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.; Sunday matinees 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.)

The Santaland Diariesperformance dates:
Thursday, November 20 7:00 p.m.  Opening Night with free pre-show reception hosted by 88.5 WFDD
Friday, November 21 7:00 p.m.  YES! Weekly performance with free pre-show reception
Friday, November 21 10:00 p.m.
Saturday, November 22 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, November 22 10:00 p.m.
Wednesday, November 26 7:00 p.m.
Friday, November 28 7:00 p.m.
Friday, November 28 10:00 p.m.
Saturday, November 29 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, November 29 10:00 p.m.
Wednesday, December 3 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, December 4 7:00 p.m.  Theatre Club performance
Friday, December 5 7:00 p.m.
Friday, December 5 10:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 6 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 6 10:00 p.m.
Wednesday, December 10 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, December 11 7:00 p.m.
Friday, December 12 7:00 p.m.
Friday, December 12 10:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 13 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 13 10:00 p.m.
Wednesday, December 17 7:00 p.m. Greensboro Green Drinks performance
Thursday, December 18 7:00 p.m.
Friday, December 19 7:00 p.m.
Friday, December 19 10:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 20 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, December 20 10:00 p.m.  Closing performance