The drama and comical mayhem of family gatherings during the holidays comes to the stage at the Sunflower Theatre in Cortez in December.
“A Tiny Christmas Miracle with Fiberoptic Unicorn” will be performed Dec. 9-10 at 7 p.m., Dec. 11 at 2 p.m. and Dec. 16 and 17 at 7 p.m.
The play, by Don Zolidis, takes a nostalgic look at family Christmas with all the humor and irritation that comes with it, according to a news release.
It provides a look at Christmas past through the eyes of Louis, who as an adult offers commentary and perspective on the family dynamic he experienced as a 13-year-old.
There is the first crush, the awkwardness of being a teenager, sibling contentions, parental disagreements, a nativity play gone awry, and crazy grandmothers – a madcap mix of holiday chaos.
The audience will relate to the goofy family dynamics that accompany the holidays, said Heidi Brugger, of the Sunflower Theatre Troupe.
“You can see yourself in theses situations, something about the holidays that brings it out,” she said. “It’s really delightful, a tragic comedy but overall lighthearted. The sibling dialogue is real and very familiar, the love and the irritation all come through.”
The cast from the Sunflower Troupe is a mix of familiar and new local actors.
Regulars Steven Free, Elizabeth Dickey and Sophia Dickey team up with newcomers Jinx Citrine, Rebecca Story, Jager B. Anderson, Nichole Belland and Sylvia Fleitz.
“Be ready to laugh but also be ready to be moved by seeing your own family in some of the situations that this play presents,” the news release states.
The play is directed by Marianne Marchesano, of Mancos, who has 30 years of experience as a director and facilitator of original theater.
She is a stand-up comedian who has taught at The Improv, Mancos Middle and High Schools, and Cal Poly Arts Academy among others.
The Sunflower Troupe, a program of KSJD and the Community Radio Project, Inc., is a volunteer-run, community theater group in Cortez that provides an outlet for creative community involvement while seeking to produce quality entertainment. Please support local community theater by donating at KSJD.org.
