Good Times - December 11-17, 2003


The Eight: Reindeer Monologues

11-14 & 18-21 | thurs-sun

A strange looking white man with a worldwide recognizable face has been naughty this Christmas season. And this time it´s not Michael Jackson. It´s Jolly Old Saint Nick, whose reputation is being smeared by his reindeer–you remember them: Dasher, Donner, Dancer, someone with a red nose and a few others. They´re out to prove that the big S isn´t so charming. In fact, the reindeer propose that Mr. Claus has sexually harassed Vixen. (The nerve!) Each of her flying friends has a story to tell, some support her; others support the bearded one. All will share their versions of the sexual harassment charges onstage when Pisces Moon Productions presents its dark comedy holiday show, “The Eight: Reindeer Monologues.” This is a far cry from any gushy, spiritual Christmas show. In consistent Pisces Moon fashion, the company shakes up the unshakeable, sparks controversy and makes its audience walk away, talking. “None of our shows are without statements to make about the media, tradition and how far people will go to protect ideologies instead of people,” says co-director/co-producer Christopher Sugarman, who also stars in the part of Cupid, one of Vixen´s few allies, an openly gay reindeer that has some “issues” with the Clauses. “It´s a good time to poke fun at the institution we call Christmas,” Sugarman adds. The show works like this: Each reindeer speaks out in the form of a monologue, think “The Laramie Project” style of performance. The accused, Mr. Claus, stays at the North Pole for this one–he doesn´t even make an appearance. But a handful of familiar acting faces do make appearances: Becky Armor, Randy Birch, Daniel David Doane, Manirose Raley, Terri Steinmann, Christopher Sugarman. “We want people to laugh and enjoy themselves,” says co-director Steinmann who also plays the part of Dancer. “We want them to be provoked and challenged.” | Christa Martin