FOR MORE INFORMATION: Haley Sheram/Becca Meyer BRAVE
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Horizon Theatre Company page 1 of 4 Main Phone: 404.523.1477 • Box Office: 404.584.7450 • Fax: 404.584.8815 PO Box 5376 • Atlanta, GA 31107 • horizontheatre.com • [email protected] FOR MORE INFORMATION: Haley Sheram/Becca Meyer BRAVE Public Relations, 404.233.3993 [email protected]/ [email protected] FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The Santaland Diaries 19 years of holiday hilarity returns with an exciting new twist! November 17 – December 31, 2017 ATLANTA (September 27, 2017) – After nearly two decades of holiday hilarity, Horizon’s 19th year of The Santaland Diaries will be marked by a passing of the elf hat and booties to a new leading actor! Horizon Theatre announced today that acclaimed local actor, columnist and playwright Topher Payne will take over the role of everyone’s favorite satirical, sarcastic elf, Crumpet, in David Sedaris’ The Santaland Diaries! Actor Harold Leaver, who blossomed into a beloved local celebrity in this iconic role which he has played at Horizon since it first debuted in the 1990s, is hanging up his tights and turning the telling of Sedaris’ now-classic alternative holiday tale. Returning November 17 –December 31 to Horizon Theatre Company, the hilarious holiday sensation is sure to brighten the season. Creative Loafing describes the show as “a hilarious cocktail, serving up a dose of seasonal spirit so potent even the most cynical Scrooge could get tipsy.” This non-traditional, adult-only, Christmas comedy provides the perfect laughter-induced remedy to the holiday hustle and bustle. Jolly and tall, Topher Payne will bring his own Will Ferrell-like presence and caustic wit to the festivities as Crumpet depicts the tale of his stint as a Macy’s Department Store elf. Adapted from award-winning satirist David Sedaris’ best-selling book Holidays on Ice, this festive story is a modern classic made famous when it aired on National Public Radio. “Taking on the role of Crumpet in The Santaland Diaries is a bold, thrilling challenge I’m eager to face,” said Payne. “I’ll be spicing up this iconic role by creating a new atmosphere while providing the same mischievous, ludicrous behavior that continuously brings new and loyal audiences out to see the show!” The Santaland Diaries will run November 17 – December 31. Performances are Tuesday through Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 8:30 p.m. and Sunday at 6 p.m. There will be additional 6 p.m. shows on Saturdays December 16 and December 23. There will be no performance Thanksgiving Day or Tuesday, November 28. Tickets are $30-$45 and prices increase as performances sell out, so get your tickets early. Seating is general admission, but patrons can upgrade to the VIP experience for an additional $15, which includes reserved seating and a complimentary holiday beverage. Tickets and information are available at horizontheatre.com or 404.584.7450. Don’t miss this holiday favorite that sells out every year! Horizon Theatre Company page 2 of 4 STORY Welcome to this wicked wonderland and exposé of all things elfin. Out of work and middle-aged, a writer in need of holiday cash decides to employ his gift for insightful observation in the trade of elfdom at Macy’s Department Store. Besieged by bratty kids with overzealous parents and donning a humiliating costume, he finds that his cynical self and his elfin alter ego, “Crumpet,” are not exactly compatible. His remedy for the saccharine overdose he endures in his never-endingly exuberant job is to tell all – giving us a backstage pass to the secret lives of Santas and elves. Though definitely not your traditional stocking stuffer, this caustic Christmas carol provides comic relief during the hustle and bustle of the holidays. The Santaland Diaries serves up holiday cheer and sneer – and a rebel without a Claus. PLAYWRIGHT David Sedaris may well be the closest thing the literary world has these days to a rock star. He made his comic debut recounting his strange-but-true experiences of his job as a Macy’s elf clad in green tights, reading his The Santaland Diaries on NPR’s Morning Edition. His sardonic wit and incisive social critique have since made him one of America’s pre-eminent humor writers. Sedaris is the author of numerous best-selling collections of stories and personal essays, including Holidays on Ice (from which The Santaland Diaries play was adapted), Barrel Fever, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, Naked, Me Talk Pretty One Day, When You Are Engulfed in Flames and his most recent book, Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls. Sedaris’ original radio pieces can often be heard on the public radio show, This American Life. He was previously named Time Magazine’s “Humorist of the Year” and has been nominated for three Grammy Awards for Best Spoken Word and Best Comedy Album. His essays appear regularly in Esquire and The New Yorker and have twice been included in “The Best American Essays.” There are a total of ten million copies of his books in print and they have been translated into 25 languages. David Sedaris’ most recent book is a collection of his diaries entitled Theft By Finding. "Playwright, author, radio star, and retired elf David Sedaris may be the most brilliantly witty New Yorker since Dorothy Parker." – New York Magazine CRUMPET Topher Payne arrived in Atlanta at age 19, and offered himself up for whatever local theatres needed somebody to do. This worked out quite well, so he just kept doing that. As an actor, he has appeared in On the Verge (Georgia Ensemble), Frost/Nixon (Springer Opera House), Designing Women Live (Process Theatre), Tape (Pinch n Ouch), Valhalla (Essential Theatre) and of course, two years of serving as a sidekick in The Santaland Diaries at Horizon Theatre. As a playwright, Topher is a two-time Gene-Gabriel Moore Playwriting Award winner, and was the recipient of the 2016 Suzi Bass Award for Best World Premiere. This year, readers of Creative Loafing named him Best Local Playwright for the seventh time. Topher was a 2017 Lambda Literary Award nominee for Perfect Arrangement, which played Off- Broadway in 2015 and can be seen this season in Atlanta at Theatrical Outfit. His most recent work, Morningside, premieres this season at Georgia Ensemble Theatre. Topher’s third screenplay for The Hallmark Channel, the holiday romance A Gift to Remember, airs throughout December. His book, Funny Story: The Incomplete Words of Topher Payne, is available on Audible and iTunes. Topher is a proud member of The Writer’s Guild of America and The Dramatist’s Guild, and is represented by The Gersh Agency. CAST Crumpet Topher Payne FEATURED PERFORMANCES Holiday Helper Enoch King* Holiday Helper LaLa Cochran Horizon Theatre Company page 3 of 4 CREATIVE TEAM Director Jeff Adler Scenic Designers Moriah and Isabel Curley-Clay Lighting Designer Mary Parker Sound Designer Thom Jenkins Props Designer Kathryn Muse Stage Manager Julianna M. Lee* Costume Designer Abby Parker *Member of Actors’ Equity Association PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE Performances of The Santaland Diaries run November 17 – December 31. Show times are Tuesday through Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 8:30 p.m. and Sunday at 6 p.m. Two additional shows are at 6 p.m. on Saturdays December 16 and December 23. There are no performances on Thursday, November 23 (Thanksgiving Day) or Tuesday, November 28. TICKETING INFORMATION General admission tickets for The Santaland Diaries start at $30-$45, varying by the day of the week. Upgrade to the VIP experience for $15 which includes reserved seating and a complimentary holiday beverage. Platinum VIP tickets are available for $100 and include front-row cocktail table seating, complimentary holiday beverages and sumptuous treats. Tickets may be ordered by phone at 404.584.7450 or online at horizontheatre.com. Ticket prices rise as the performances sell out, so early reservations are suggested for the best prices. A ticket processing fee will be added to all ticket orders. An internet convenience fee is added to all online orders. No refunds, exchanges or late seating. Holiday gift certificates are also available. GROUP RATES The Santaland Diaries is the perfect way to spice up your holiday gathering. Group discounts are available for parties of 10 or more. Horizon has a lounge space available for rental for pre-show gatherings. Contact Group Sales at 404.523.1477 x111 for more information. PARENTAL ADVISORY The Santaland Diaries contains mature language and situations. It is not intended for children. Suggested rating is PG14, appropriate for older teens. PRESS PHOTOS Press photos are available for download at: bit.ly/TheSantalandDiaries2017. ABOUT HORIZON THEATRE COMPANY Horizon Theatre Company connects people, inspires hope and promotes positive change through the stories of our times. We produce professional area and world premieres of smart, funny and provocative contemporary plays. We also develop the next generation of diverse artists and audiences. For more information about tickets, group sales, or to receive a season brochure, call 404.584.7450 or visit horizontheatre.com. Major funding is provided by the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, the Fulton County Board of Commissioners, the Metropolitan Atlanta Arts Fund, and The Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta. We are grateful for our play and program corporate sponsors: the Turner Voices initiative of Turner Broadcasting and Macy’s. .