“Santasia – A Holiday Comedy” has become a Los Angeles classic.
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“Santasia – A Holiday Comedy” is a very, very special holiday Christmas show performed by the same zany group of misfits we have grown to love over the years.
It’s now in its 19th year and we are thankful. This extremely creative and dedicated group of actors takes us on yet another journey through their own very unique Christmas imaginations. They entertain us with their delightfully warped and seasonally fueled stories, songs and glorious dance extravaganzas..
At its heart, it’s a sketch show with claymation and live action films created by brothers Shaun and Brandon Loeser liberally sprinkled through the evening, and some pretty elaborate dance numbers choreographed by Tania Pearson-Loeser. We are entertained beautifully by this festively inclined group of actors with a brilliant selection of amusingly depraved and heartfelt seasonal laments and salutations.Â
Over 25 sketches, songs and films full of manic and hilarious take offs and hauntingly familiar family fiascos. But it’s really all about love – their love for Christmas, their love for each other and their love for giving us their own very funny version of what Christmas really means to them all. One moment you are laughing and the next you are wiping a tear from your eye and remembering those who will be missed around the tree this year.Â
Part Monty Python, part Peanuts, part “Home Alone,” part “It’s a Wonderful Life”….all heart.Â
“Santasia” is the kind of madcap show we should all go to every year if only to see what on earth they have come up with this time. Make it your new tradition. Bring your kids, bring your family and bring your friends, because everyone on stage seems to be just that important to each other. What makes it work more than anything is the very apparent deep connection these men have for each other. Through the dressing up and crazy dancing and singing you can feel it, it’s what makes everything work so well, that obvious fondness for each other and the ability to support each other’s ‘crazy.’
There are sketches about festive house decorating, dysfunctional dinners, heartfelt anecdotes from childhood, a brilliant trip on a runaway sleigh and classic and nimbly performed musical numbers with some serious dance sequences all exquisitely funny and in wonderfully inappropriate costumes… just fantastic!
If you go to any Christmas show this year, it really has to be “Santasia.”
Running from December 7 – December 23. Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays at 8PM, Sundays at 3PM and 8PM
The Whitefire Theatre, 13500 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, 91423
Cast
Shaun Loeser, Brandon Loeser, Lon Gowan, Omar Heyward, Chey Kennedy, Darren Mangler, and Rusty Locke
The production team includes Tania Pearson-Loeser (Choreographer/Assistant Director/Producer/Co-Writer), Stacey Quinealty (Musical Director/Composer), Wynn Zucchero (Associate Producer/Lighting Designer), Rob Siminowski (Stage Manager), Andy Palmer (Associate Producer/Co-Writer), Rachel Loeser (Co-House Manager), and Banzai Vitale (Co-House Manager).