Per Wiger, who plays Pa in the show, is excited to bring these familiar characters to life. “I read the books as a kid and Pa Ingalls was something of a hero for me,” he shared, “so it really feels like coming full circle to go from playing him in my living room to playing him on stage.” Wiger also has enjoyed working with the local youth actors on this production, marveling at their talent and dedication to the show, “Honestly, I've met a number of professional actors that could learn something from these kids,” he noted.
This year Festival Theatre is offering two Christmas shows to satisfy anyone on both naughty and nice lists this holiday season. “A SantaLand Diaries” will open on Friday, December 2nd at 7:30 PM. Based on an essay by David Sedaris and adapted for the stage by Joe Mantello, this show is perfect for adults looking for a more sarcastic view of the holiday season. With only five performances, “The Santaland Diaries” features Seth Kaltwasser as Crumpet, a young man who becomes elf in Macy’s SantaLand on a dare. At first he finds the job simply humiliating, but soon it becomes more than he can handle and he takes out his frustrations on unsuspecting parents and children.
There are still a few seats left for the opening weekend of “A Laura Ingalls Wilder Christmas,” Saturday, November 26th at 7:30 PM and Sunday, November 27th at 2:00 PM. The Franklin Square Black Box has limited capacity, so patrons are encouraged to make their reservations as soon as possible for all shows this holiday season. Tickets are $26 for adults and $13.50 for students (ages 5-25) and can be purchased at FestivalTheatre.org, emailing festivaltheatreboxoffice@gmail.com or by calling the box office at 715-483-3387.