'Cancel Christmas'—What Will Santa Do?

It’s not just the Grinch who hates Christmas. There’s also Bogwig, the most evil of trolls, who lures Santa to the faraway ice caves of the North Pole after posting a note on Santa’s door that reads: "Cancel Christmas or else ..."

Since 1976, when the play “Cancel Christmas” was first staged in Sonoma, CA, thousands of children and adults alike have wondered how Santa will deal with the troll’s threat—and whether Santa’s brave and loyal elves cans save Christmas.

To find out, attend a free performance of this popular play at the auditorium on Thursday, December 8, at 10 a.m. Or attend an evening performance at 7 p.m. on Friday, December 9. Tickets are $5 each.

The play, written by Sam Younghans and Paula Samonte, was also adapted to a screenplay and was first performed at Eagle Rock High by high-school actors in 2006 to a sold-out audience of some 2,000 people. This time, the play is performed by middle-school students of the ERHS Drama Department, with the support of high school stage crews—ostensibly for an elementary school audience.

“The play brings alive a very special era in American folklore—the glowing spirit of the 1930s/’40s prewar, pre-television, pre-social media,” says director Russell Copley, who is also the school’s drama teacher. “There is a message of traditional family values oozing from the script, which is so important in these tough times when many families are experiencing challenging financial conditions.”

The spirit of giving and participating in community service is a central theme “warmly portrayed through song, dance and fun-filled dialogue,” explains Copley, adding: “If you have young kids, you really shouldn't miss this one.”