We all are a bit dysfunctional, especially around the holidays
The NoHo Arts District dot Com team is split between overly cheerful, ugly sweater wearing, egg nog drinkers and fed-up-with-Christmas grinches. But both sides of this made up “War on Christmas” are soothed with theatre in NoHo. What? Yes, with theatre. If you’re looking for a Christmas show and a Christmas farce, go see North Hollywood’s original “Dysfunctional Family Christmas” at the Brickhouse Theatre. We asked NoHo resident writer, director, producer and our go-to theatre man Paul Storiale on what makes this show great for everyone, pro-Christmas, anti-Christmas or for those who celebrate other holidays.
What inspired you to write this Christmas farce, “Dysfunctional Family Christmas?”
I was wanting to write something fun for the holidays. I needed it to be fast and have a family dynamic. There really isn’t a Christmas farce out there. Farce is extremely difficult to write, but I challenged myself and wrote some of the roles for specific actors I knew, knowing they would pull off the comedic timing it needed.
Why should someone go see the show?
They will laugh out loud the entire time. It’s fun, it’s fast paced. Your eyes are glued and it’s designed so you have no time to think about the world outside. It’s everything you love about Christmas. And if you’re Jewish….there’s plenty for you as well.
You have two successful Christmas shows running at the same time and do it all alone, with no theatre company?
I design the sets/lights, write, direct, run the booth and take tickets for Dysfunctional Family Christmas. It’s just me and the actors. It’s not as much as being a control freak as much as having fun in every aspect of theatre.
I have a co-director for the other show “The Gayest Christmas Pageant Ever” this year, and together we put it together. However she’s leaving town for a couple weeks and I’m trying to figure out how to be at two places at once….challenge!!! 🙂
Show synopsis:
All Dean and Joanne want is a final uncomplicated holiday celebration with their family before they retire to Florida. But finding Grandpa Logan dead on Christmas Eve, the same day their young adult children are scheduled to arrive, tosses a significant wrench into their plans. Holiday hilarity ensues as Dean and Joanne attempt to keep grandpa’s death a secret from their kids … who just so happen to have a few secrets of their own bubbling beneath the surface. Read the review>>
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Lastly, but in no way least, we couldn’t help but ask his advice.
Do you have any advice for folks on how to deal with the family Christmas craziness?
I grew up the youngest of nine, so I would say if you’re going to go home, stay there a very short time. Or as Paul likes to say:
Hug, Love, Leave.
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