Theater Review
Tom Titus
‘Twas a month before Christmas and all over Costa Mesa, the
traditional yuletide offerings were hung by the chimney with care.
There were “A Christmas Carol” and “La Posada Magica” at South Coast
Repertory, “An Old Fashioned Christmas and Ice Cream Social” at OCC and
“The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” at the Costa Mesa Civic Playhouse.
The latter show, however, posed a bit of a problem for Costa Mesa’s
New Voices Playwrights Workshop, which has adopted the playhouse as its
temporary home. New Voices also has a Christmas program in the wings, but
the playhouse is being used Thursday through Saturday evenings and Sunday
afternoons until Dec. 19.
So what about Saturday afternoons and Sunday evenings? No problem.
These times were available, so New Voices grabbed them and “Another
10-Minute Christmas” goes on the boards next week, hoping for the sort of
response the evening of original one-acts has elicited in its first two
outings.
“When we produced our first Christmas show two years ago, we didn’t
know what the response would be,” said Christopher Trela, president and
co-founder of New Voices. “We ended up selling out all four performances.
Last December, we sold out six performances, so obviously audiences are
responding to what we are doing.
“This year, we’re back with more original short Christmas plays and we
expect to sell out all five performances this year.”
Being creators of original theater, New Voices employed a little
originality in its scheduling this year. Following a preview performance
Wednesday at 8 p.m., the program will be staged the next two Saturdays at
2 p.m. and Sundays at 7:30 p.m. -- using the playhouse stage when the
“Best Christmas Pageant” cast isn’t.
“It looks like we’re becoming an alternative holiday tradition for
Orange County theatergoers,” Trela commented. “People can go see A
Christmas Carol’ and The Nutcracker’ and know what to expect, and then
come to see Another 10-Minute Christmas’ and expect the unexpected.”
Trela has authored two of the nine originals in this year’s show --
“Deck the Malls” and “Hope for the Holidays.” Other entries are “Far
North, Inc.” (John Lane), “Gift of the Beast” (Stephen Ludwig), “Hanging
Santa” (Gina Shaffer), “Nothing for Christmas” (John Bolen), “It’s a
Chemistry Thing” (Jack Stanley), “Merry Christmas, Miss Norton” (Tom
Swimm) and “The Bear Went Over the Mountain” (Richard Freedman).
Proceeds from the show -- priced at $12 general admission and $10 for
students and seniors -- will be divided by the Civic Playhouse, to help
with operating expenses, and New Voices, to help launch the group’s
permanent home, opening in 2000. Call (949) 225-4125 for reservations.
CUTLINE: Christina Moorhead and Greg Lipford perform in “Deck the Malls,”
one of the entries in the third annual evening of Christmas-themed
original one-act plays by the New Voices Playwrights Workshop.
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