Friday, December 01, 2006

Santaland Diaries

It's December! You know what that means -- it's time for Santaland Diaries! It comes in book form, but the best way to enjoy this work of prose is to hear it performed by the author, David Sedaris, himself. If you follow this link, you can hear it by way of NPR.

Also, it's being performed here in Charleston by the Charleston Stage Company next weekend. If you aren't familiar with this story, their site sums it up best:

SantaLand Diaries, written by acclaimed satirist and NPR-contributor David Sedaris, presents an uproarious new look at Christmas pageantry and all its victims. Sedaris's tale of life in Macy's SantaLand, as seen through the eyes of one of Santa’s Elves, packs enormous laughs into a spectacular evening of theatre.

From the interview process through the training period and the inevitable holiday rush, Sedaris's SantaLand Diaries vividly exposes the craven way Macy's exploits the holiday season… and puts the crass commercialism of the holidays in just the right perspective.

8 comments:

Thwacko said...

That Santa pic is kinda creepy.

jedijawa said...

David Sedaris is awesome! An even longer version of the essay "SantaLand Diaries" can be found here on the radio program This American Life (a favorite of mine). The essay is also found in his books "Barrel Fever" and "Holidays on Ice" which include an even longer version than found in the TAL segment. I listened to "Holidays on Ice" on a drive home one Thanksgiving and it was hilarious to hear it on audio as Sedaris reads it (particularly some racy parts that were not included in the radio broadcasts). Enjoy!

Charleston Catholic / Clay Center Project said...

Joshua -- it kind of is, isn't it?

JJ -- OOh, thanks! That's the link I was originally looking for, but couldn't find it. I'm going to switch my link. Thanks!

And, yes, it is so much better to hear it read by Sedaris!

msliberty said...

I. Love. David. Sedaris.

I paid through the nose to see him perform at my local theater. It was on the eve of a midterm, but we went anyway, my partner and I. I LAUGHED until I nearly peed my pants when he read a story about his experiences in a mortuary.

msliberty said...

Oh, and I forgot to add... I really like the new header!

Charleston Catholic / Clay Center Project said...

Msliberty -- I am so jealous!!! I would kill to see him perform live! Okay, maybe not kill... but yanno...

Thanks! I like the new header, too. Whee! :)

marcus said...

i love david too! but can anyone tell me where to get my hands on the songs "this american life" uses in the background?!!
i LOVE the jazz versions of "santa claus is coming to town" and "dance of the sugarplum fairy" but can't seem to find them anywhere!!
someone? anyone? it's driving me absolutely INSANE!!
Thanks!

Charleston Catholic / Clay Center Project said...

Dude! I don't know, but I love that music, too.

Maybe at the end of the podcast version in This American Life it tells about the music. Sometimes they do.