"The most wonderful time of the year," the time when you hear the sleigh bells ring as you go dashing through the snow. So, start decking those halls and bringing the torch in the air, there's a feeling of Christmas clich/s.
But, if you can't bring yourself to watch one more production of A Christmas Carol or see your niece dance in yet another Nutcracker recital, take heart. There's a new kid in town, and its name is A Tuna Christmas.
The fine folks at Burien Little Theatre are at it again, with another laugh-filled evening of irreverent comic holiday entertainment. According to BLT, they are putting the "fun" into dysfunctional with this hilarious sequel to the hit comedy Greater Tuna.
Set in the fictitious town of Tuna, Texas ("where the Lions Club is too liberal and Patsy Cline never dies"), Tuna Christmas introduces us to the citizens inhabiting the third smallest town in the Lone Star State.
Two versatile actors, Nathan Kirk and Timothy Kelly, play all 24 residents of this oddball community. Portraying both male and female characters, Kirk and Kelly bring to life the drama, trauma and utter lunacy of the day before Christmas in Tuna.
For those who caught BLT's 2002 production of Greater Tuna, you might recall Aunt Peral Burras, the hard-core dog hater who attempted to "accidentally" bump off her husband's pooch. Well, she's back, along with her long-suffering sister Bertha and her felonious nephew Stanley.
Other assorted, eccentric townsfolk come and go, including Vera Carp, the annual yard-decorating contestant with a 14-year win streak, and Joe Bob Lipsey, the temperamental theatrical director trying to stage Dickens' classic, Tuna style
Small town working class humor abounds with each scene, but the real reason to see Tuna is for the stellar acting. Audiences will marvel at the ease at which both Kirk and Kelly change into each Tuna citizen. Each portrayal is unique and endearing.
In fact, you will almost forget that Tuna has a cast of only two. When one of the show's characters wonders why more people haven't shown up to a holiday party, you'll chuckle. You found yourself wondering the same thing.
Director Diane Major brings all the pieces together in a seamless fashion, with invaluable help from set designer Steve Cooper, lighting designer Craig Orsinger and costumer Kristin Dycus, the talented costume designer from BLT's Greater Tuna.
