The Holiday season is upon us once again. Christmas parties, tree lighting ceremonies, Santa Meet-n-Greets, festivals, craft fairs, fantastic light displays, and other festivities abound. These activities are treasured traditions for many. Whether we do them with family, friends, or coworkers, traditions can be a wonderful thing. They are a great way to make memories, and bring people closer together. However, it can be nice to step outside of tradition and try something new. If you and yours are looking for something new this year, look no further! This weekend, TexRep will bring Greater Tuna back to Texarkana for A Tuna Christmas.

Greater Tuna is the first play in a series of four comedies by Jason Williams, Joe Sears, and Ed Howard. One of the things that make these plays so humorous is that the entire cast of twenty characters, of all ages and genders, are played by just two men. Michael Cooper and Christopher Polson starred in the Texarkana Repertory Company‘s production of Greater Tuna in 2011. These masters of costume quick-changes will once again take us back to Tuna, Texas to reprise their roles and introduce new characters in A Tuna Christmas. Much like Texarkana, there is always something going on in Tuna. The big to-do is the town’s annual Christmas Yard Display Contest. The contest soon comes under attack from the “Christmas Phantom”, a vandal who is out to shake up the competition. This and various other hilarious subplots make this a show a real knee-slapper.

In addition to playing over twenty-four roles, Cooper and Polson also double as TexRep’s artistic director and set designer (respectively). This show is incredibly challenging for many reasons, but if anyone can handle it, this dynamic duo can. However, they aren’t tackling this monster alone. It truly takes a village to put on a production like this, and a village they have! A crew of nine assist the pair in lightning-quick costume changes, moving set pieces, running lights, operating the soundboard, and wrangling the six different Christmas trees used in the show. In addition to its impressive role-to-cast-size ratio, this show is also unique in that the crew gets to bow at curtain call with the actors, which is only fitting since it would be impossible without them. As previously mentioned, one of the things that lend to this play’s crazy energy is the outrageous number (and short duration) of costume changes. While each crew members serves multiple purposes, the bulk of their work is helping the actors change their costumes. Cooper says that, while he isn’t sure exactly how many changes there are, he is certain it is upwards of fifty. Each actor plays twelve roles apiece, he explained, which makes some of the costume changes almost instant. In fact, there are some scenes that require an actor to exit as one character and then immediately reenter as completely different character. There are also multiple scenes in which one of the actors plays a single role, while the other plays as many as five characters over the course of a single scene. Naturally, some changes are more difficult than others. Cooper says that some of the most difficult changes to pull off are the female characters. “[They] tend to have more pieces, from wigs to shoes to garments to underwear,” he continued, “It’s all an adventure.”

In a typical season, which runs from May to February, TexRep does four full plays and a Drama Camp Showcase. A Tuna Christmas is a bonus show that was added outside of the regular season as a special fundraiser for TexRep. It is also special in that the production staff (those who design and direct the show) are donating their services for free. One might wonder why Cooper and Polson would ever subject themselves to this insanity again, but the answer is simple — Everyone enjoys it. When asked why this particular show was chosen for this slot, Cooper said, “Chris and I did Greater Tuna some years ago and it was received very well. People have mentioned that they would enjoy seeing it, or something of its ilk, again.” He added that the show is both fun and season-relevant. If you have never seen Greater Tuna, don’t worry! All characters are introduced or reintroduced, so you’ll feel right at home. If you have seen it, you’ll be delighted to know that — according to Cooper —A Tuna Christmas is even funnier than the first one.

If you’re still struggling to find a present for everyone on your list, the gift of laughter is one-size-fits-all (and they won’t want to return it). Whether you are returning to Tuna or visiting for the first time, this wild ride is a trip you won’t soon forget! Y’all come on out, and join the Texarkana Repertory Company for their production of A Tuna Christmas, ya hear?

Performances of A Tuna Christmas will be:

(The theatre doors will open thirty minutes prior to showtime.)

Admission prices are as follows:

If you are interested in supporting your local theatre, please consider a sponsorship, a membership, or simply attending a show. If you are interested in supporting TexRep in a more hands-on capacity, they are always looking for extra hands, whether it be auditioning/performing, ushering for performances, working backstage/in the booth, or helping with set construction.

For information, or questions, please visit TexRep online. You can also connect with them on Facebook, or follow them on Instagram.

As set designer Chris Polson always says, “See you at the theatre!”