Omar Heywood and Tara Jean O’ Brien (Photo by Brandon Loesser)
Reviewed by Martín Hernández
The Whitefire Theatre
Through December 27
RECOMMENDED
Brothers and co-creators Brandon and Shaun Loeser and their band of madcap elves return with the 26thedition of their playful and raunchy mix of comedy sketches, animated and live action videos, and movie and Broadway parodies. It is fun for the whole family, if your family does not mind the dropping of F-bombs – seriously, what are the holidays without some profanity anyway? Tania Pearson-Loeser’s kooky choreography and costume design and Stacey Quinealty’s lively musical direction complement director Shaun Loeser’s frenzied staging.
While I tried hard not to repeat praise from my 2023 review — google it if you wish — some of the pieces are still too funny to pass over. “It’s Santasia” opens the show with the ensemble dressed as zany North Pole folks lamenting the trials and tribulations of producing a holiday show every year. “A Santasia Line” has the ensemble cavorting to appropriately revised lyrics of A Chorus Line’s “I Hope I Get It,” as they pine for the perfect gift.
“This Your Sleigh?” has Santa (Chey Kennedy) getting special treatment from two overzealous police officers (Omar Heywood and Tara Jean O’Brien) when he leaves his sleigh in a no parking zone. Santa also channels Don Vito Corleone in “Jollyfellas” as he and two thuggish minions (Rusty Locke and Shaun Loeser doing their best DeNiro and Pesci impressions respectively) put the screws to a labor-exploited elf (Brandon Loeser).
Sipping a martini at a local bar in “Frosty,” a boozy blonde (Brandon Loeser) pours her heart out to a bored bartender (Heywood) about her affair with an icy lover. She returns later in a videotaped version of TV’s The Bachelorette, giving her rose to a fellow who does more than melt her heart. Locke’s Christopher Walken impression in “Walken in a Winter Wonderland” is also a crowd-pleasing moment. Male cast members sport tutus in one sketch as they frolic to the “The Dance of the Sugar Plum Faries,” and they are featured in even skimpier outfits later as they gyrate to a more salacious ditty.
Michael Granberry’s Rankin/Bass styled clay-figured stop-motion videos are comic gems. “Pulp Christmas” has Tarantino’s Jules and Vincent depicted as renegade elves laying waste to fruitcake, eggnog, and an elf named Brett. A bold penguin cannot believe that “Penguins Don’t Fly” so he goes to outlandish lengths to prove he can. “Some Assembly Required” presents a frustrated father getting unusual help in assembling a kid’s bike; the result is not quite what he expected.
The finale harkens to the Loesers’ childhood as the two take a rambunctious downhill ride in “Sledding,” with the siblings perched on a rolling platform that ensemble members adroitly maneuver around the stage. Buoyed by the William Tell Overture and with their snowy path projected behind them, the Loesers’ topsy turvy trip culminates in a less than artful stop. As is the show’s tradition, ensemble members intermittently recount their own favorite Christmas memories. Whether it is Kennedy’s offbeat tribute to his children, O’Brien’s tale of her father’s Christmas sacrifice, or Heywood’s story of his father’s gift that keeps on giving, each is tinged with warmth and humor — just the right mix for this festive season.
The Whitefire Theatre, 13500 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks.; check website for schedule; thru Dec. 27. www.santasia.com Running time two hours with a 20 minute intermission
