It ain't easy being elfish: The SantaLand Diaries opens tonight at the Dairy Center

A few years ago, when actor Gary Culig abandoned his beloved longtime role as Crumpet the Elf in the Bug Theatre's perennial holiday production of The SantaLand Diaries, he left the local field wide open for a new kind of Crumpet, the sourly wry Macy's elf based on the true...

By Susan Froyd

November 30, 2011

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A few years ago, when actor Gary Culig abandoned his beloved longtime role as Crumpet the Elf in the Bug Theatre's perennial holiday production of The SantaLand Diaries, he left the local field wide open for a new kind of Crumpet, the sourly wry Macy's elf based on the true adventures of humorist David Sedaris. On cue, Geoffrey Kent of the Boulder Ensemble Theatre jumped right into Crumpet's pointy little shoes in 2009 and claimed the sprightly gear as his own.

Starting at 7:30 p.m. tonight at the Dairy Center for the Arts, he's back for another year's-end run of the adult-friendly holiday favorite.

At the core of the piece, of course, there's the delicious Sedaris wit, which we all know is enormously popular on the Front Range, as evidenced by his numerous sold-out shows, including a recent sojourn at the Paramount Theatre, where people paid good money just to hear the man TALK. But when Sedaris points his laser on the commercialization of Christmas, the point is sharper than ever: If you're looking for something edgy in the season of tinsel and sugar-plum fairies, this is a sure thing.

You can make the pilgrimage to Boulder to see The SantaLand Diaries through Christmas Eve; the show plays every Thursday through Sunday. Admission is $15 to $24, for more information, visit the BETC website.

To keep up with the Froyd's-eye-view of arts and culture in Denver, "like" my fan page on Facebook.

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Susan Froyd started writing for Westword as the "Thrills" editor in 1992 and never quite left the fold. These days she still freelances for the paper in addition to walking her dogs, enjoying cheap ethnic food and reading voraciously. Sometimes she writes poetry.

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