"A Tuna Christmas" is a humorous play set in the fictional town of Tuna, the third smallest town in Texas. The play is a sequel to "Greater Tuna" written by Ed Howard, Joe Sears, and Jaston Williams. It debuted in 1989 and has become a popular comedic fixture in American theater, especially around the holiday season.
The story revolves around the town's eccentric and colorful characters as they prepare for Christmas. The unique aspect of this play is that it features only two actors who portray all 22 male and female characters, showcasing a range of personalities that make up the quirky community of Tuna. This quick-change aspect adds to the humor and dynamism of the play.
Nathaniel Rothrock.
At the heart of "A Tuna Christmas" is the annual Christmas Yard Display Contest, which is a significant event in Tuna. Vera Carp, a snooty town snob, has won the contest for the past 14 years, and the other residents are determined to prevent her from winning again. The contest brings out the competitive spirit of the townspeople, leading to hilarious situations and schemes. As Christmas Eve approaches, a mysterious "Christmas Phantom" known for vandalizing the yard displays adds an element of intrigue and suspense. The identity of the Phantom becomes a running gag throughout the play, with various hints and red herrings thrown in to keep the audience guessing.
The play is rich with themes of community, family, and the Christmas spirit, albeit presented in a satirical and exaggerated manner. It portrays the humorous and sometimes absurd aspects of small-town life and holiday traditions.
Director Roy Steinberg said: “I think part of the appeal is the eccentricity of these small-town characters. There are so many people who tell me 'I come from Mt. Etna, PA' or some other tiny place. Just like that. I think this identification with eccentric characters lets the audience feel slightly naughty with some of the humor. Many of these characters have some real complexity to them. The older lady characters— Aunt Pearl for example. Like her, we can all relate to some disappointments in romance in our lives or relationships in our life.”
Dane and Nathaniel.
“Oh gosh, I don't think there's one thing that I can pinpoint,” said actor Dane Agonistis, “but I get to play a lot of roles. There are three very funny women in the show, Berta Bumiller, her aunt Pearl Burras, and then on the opposite side of the scale, the waitress Inita Goodwin. They're all such fun characters to portray, maybe because they are so different [from me]. I always try to bring myself into the characters but because they are so different, I feel I'm able just to play them 'no holds barred' - all three of them are wonderful. The show is tremendously funny, and it can be very 'out there' and wild, but I think at the essence of it is heart."
"There’s a scene where Aunt Pearl Burras is helping Stanley Bumiller and I always love it, because everything else is so zany in this show," Agonistis continues. "Then there’s that moment where I can just take a second to flex a different muscle. It makes me feel good when I hear an audience react to how an older character takes care of their younger relatives. I can hear the audience relating to that and it's nice to do that every night.”
Speaking of Stanley Bumiller, Actor Nathaniel Rothrock said: "Oh, certainly yes, I think that there are certain characters—Stanley Bumiller is a great example, I think about his character more and more. I see him as sort of an outcast because he's a felon, he's been sent to reform school, and all this kind of stuff. But if you listen to what he says and you watch how he interacts with his mother and with his aunt Pearl, he really does care about the people he loves, and he's really nothing more than a prankster. Nothing he does, nothing he talks about doing, seriously hurts people. He's not a cruel person. Those he cares about, you see, he is willing to suffer a little bit so that they can have Peace of Mind."
Dane and Nathaniel sitting at a table.
One of the joys of this show are the astonishing “quick changes” as the actors pop backstage and emerge almost instantly as a different character in a new costume. Audience members can be seen checking their programs to confirm that there are, in fact, only two actors portraying the 22 or so roles.
Actor Dane Agonistis said: “In the beginning, it was a little insane. We had to carve out some rehearsal time to choreograph the changes. Like this has to happen this time, this has to go there and our costumes need to be here. Now, it is like a well-oiled machine! We have running lists plastered on every wall back there, but I don't find myself even looking at them now! We have two great dressers that help us and they're most essential. We really couldn't do the show without them. I've heard a little appreciation reaction here and there like “you've just been an old lady; now you come back as a redneck hunter!” It's controlled chaos back there!”
“Our costumers Haley and Tess are instrumental to this show, so major shout out to them,” said Nathaniel Rothrock. “We are eternally grateful for their support. The entire process of the show is us running backstage throwing off whatever costume pieces we have and throwing on what we need and then booking it back on stage. Our costumers go above and beyond. It is really a blessing and a Christmas gift!”
"A Tuna Christmas" is a fast-paced, comedic romp that offers sharp social commentary through its larger-than-life characters and absurd situations. Its portrayal of the holiday season in a small Texan town is both heartwarming and hilariously entertaining, making it a holiday favorite for audiences seeking a mix of laughter and light-heartedness. Don’t dawdle now, as Aunt Pearl might say, "A Tuna Christmas" runs through Dec. 30 on the Cape May Stage.
Cape May, NJ | Now thru December 30 @ 7pm. Click here for more information or to purchase tickets.
