Musical brings a fresh take on Christmas themes in Sonora

Lesser known, but in keeping with the traditional theme of seeking the true meaning of Christmas, a comedic two-person musical makes its way to a Mother Lode stage.

Sierra Repertory Theatre presents “Another Night Before Christmas” from Dec. 1-23 at its Sonora playhouse, the final production in its 2017 season. The contemporary musical explores cynicism and belief wrapped around the holidays.

The show is carried by two characters. Karol is a disillusioned social worker, first seen trudging home on a cold December night, according to a press release from SRT. She encounters an old man sitting on a park bench and mistakes him for homeless.

Her innocent gesture of offering the stranger some food takes an odd turn, however, when the man turns up later at her apartment claiming to be Santa Claus. “Thanks to a malfunctioning security system, Karol finds herself trapped with ‘Mr. Claus’ and forced to confront her feelings about Christmas once and for all,” according to the release.

The play feels right for current times, according to SRT Managing Director Becky Saunders.

“During times when society seems out of control there is comfort in believing that, perhaps, Santa Claus really does exist,” she said in the release. “It’s thrilling to find such a gem that is a lesser known work. Often, we go to the standards of Christmas entertainment ... but it is astounding to find a contemporary piece that connects us to the joys of giving and compassion. That resonates in today’s world.”

“Another Night Before Christmas” has a book and lyrics by Sean Grennan and music by Leah Okimoto. It premiered at the American Heartland Theatre, directed by Paul Hough. The Sierra Rep production will be directed by Jacob Harvey, artistic director of the Greenhouse Theater Center in Chicago.

Michael Vodde and Amy Bodnar star as “Mr. Claus” and Karol for Sierra Rep, respectively. Vodde returns after appearing in several SRT productions including “I Love A Piano,” “Hairspray,” “The Laramie Project” and “State Fair.” He’s performed in National Tours of “Les Miserables,” “Music Man” and the original San Francisco production of “Jeffery.”

This will be an SRT debut for Bodnar, who has starred in plays and musicals on and off Broadway, across the United States, Canada. Recent favorite roles include Rosemary in “Outside Mullingar” and Brooke in “Other Desert Cities.”

This story was originally published November 30, 2017 at 11:25 AM with the headline "Musical brings a fresh take on Christmas themes in Sonora."