Last chance to catch ‘Christmas With Elvis’ before it leaves the Chopin Theatre Jan. 7
Elvis will be leaving the building after the final performance of “Christmas With Elvis” Jan. 7 (the day before Elvis Presley’s birthday) at Chicago’s Chopin Theatre.
Chicago On Stage hails “Christmas With Elvis” as a “very well-acted, inventively conceived, and beautifully directed production that deserves a place on the list of strong annual Chicago holiday offerings that fill our theaters each December”; and the Chicago Tribune says, “this truly is an enjoyably campy throwback to a vanished era of Chicago theater.”
“Christmas With Elvis” tells the story of a lonely, anxious and slightly angry woman who discovers, on Christmas Eve, that her ex-husband is getting remarried. Before she can indulge in her misery, the very dead and not too debauched ghost of Elvis Presley appears in her apartment. It will be a Christmas neither of them will ever forget.
“I was originally inspired to write this play when years ago, a friend of mine who was going through a divorce during the holidays expressed her disdain for the music of Elvis Presley,” said Hesser. “That is, until she got divorced. Then, she said she connected with Elvis’ music on a level she never expected. Her comment inspired the character of Trudy played this time by the magnificent Brenda Barrie. The story is very funny, but also touches on the less jolly emotions the holidays stir up that don’t get talked about enough.”
The two-person cast features Brenda Barrie (Trudy) and Victor Holstein (Elvis). The design team includes Dexter Bullard (director), Eleanor Kahn (set design), Bridget Williams (lighting design), Steve Labedz (projections design), Amanda Herrmann (props design), Lori Hall-Araujo (costume design) and Courtney Abbott (intimacy design). Stage manager is Kathleen Dickinson. Production manager is Missi Davis.
“Christmas With Elvis” by Terry Spencer Hesser, directed by Dexter Bullard plays at the Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division St., Chicago, now through Jan. 7. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Friday, 3 and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday and 3 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets begin at $50 and are only available by advance purchase at BrownPaperTickets.
Please note: This play contains adult themes and language.