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Keep the Yuletide Gay

theatre Q

November 30-December 30, 2006

Avg. Event Rating (3.3 Stars): Add Review/Comment

Part It’s a Wonderful Life, part Blithe Spirit, Keep the Yuletide Gay tells the story of five friends gathering for their annual Christmas dinner and gift exchange. Holly, the host, welcomes her three best single girlfriends and her (presumably single) gay best friend, Warren: a group collectively known as the Single Belles. Holly is on the verge of no longer being a Single Belle as she is engaged to a man that none of the other Belles are particularly fond of. In a last ditch attempt to save Holly from what she thinks will be a bad marriage, one of the Belles, Fran, hires a mystic to tell Holly the she has turned Warren straight. What Fran doesn’t know is that the mystic really has the goods and casts a spell that indeed turns Warren hetero. Fran also doesn’t know about Warren’s surprise guest: his new boyfriend Chad. Starting with a badly set dinner table and deteriorating into an incredibly awkward Christmas party complete with an alcoholic witch, some Lindsay Lohan perfume, warts, a bloody Santa, a Lionel Ritchie/Diana Ross duet, burnt dinner, some very unexpected skirt chasing, and, of course, the world’s worst Christmas gift, Keep the Yuletide Gay ultimately reminds us what it means to be a friend.

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• Ticket Info

  Tickets: $10-$25

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• Dates & Times

  Dates:
  November 30-December 30, 2006

  Times:
  Thurs-Sat: 8pm
  Sun: 2pm

• Venue Info

  Dragon Theatre

  535 Alma Street Palo Alto, CA 94301

  Full map and directions

• Parking Info

  Free street after 3pm and nearby lot parking available. Parking garage is three doors down.

• Accessibility Info

  • Wheelchair Access

• NOTE: We do our best to ensure all information is accurate, however it's a good idea to visit the website or call the venue to verify the information.

• Member Reviews

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  • Event Name: Keep the Yuletide Gay
    "Oh what fun it is .. to be surprised!"
    Review posted by: Everyone\'sACritic! from San Francisco, Dec 22, 2006
    

    Tick, tick, tick! Time is running out to get tickets for the final performances of this new comedy. Written by Dale Albright, and produced by theatre Q, this story of long time friends and their... Expand

    Tick, tick, tick! Time is running out to get tickets for the final performances of this new comedy. Written by Dale Albright, and produced by theatre Q, this story of long time friends and their holiday traditions, secrets, desires and home truths mixed with parapsychology is a charming alternative to classic holiday theater. Kudos to Chloe Bronzan, playing the single woman wrestling with her feelings for her gay friend; to Alan Kaiser for lighting up act two as the gay, then straight, then gay Warren; and to Connie Nelson for her hilarious physicality, timing and improbable dialect that create Madame Stratosphere. While the script doesn't answer all the difficult questions it raises, and the rapid fire delivery of the text runs over Albright's witty one-liners, the show has a nice mix of thought- provoking moments and real laughs. Collapse

  • Event Name: Keep the Yuletide Gay
    "Very promising start for a first time playwriter"
    Review posted by: Hanna Hacham from Palo Alto, CA, Dec 21, 2006
    

    Good acting, directing, and interesting combination of personalities that do not match as friends.

    Good acting, directing, and interesting combination of personalities that do not match as friends.

  • Event Name: Keep the Yuletide Gay
    "The perfect Holiday play!"
    Review posted by: Theater Newbie... from San Francisco, Dec 18, 2006
    

    I was very impressed by this original play. I did not really know what to expect, but left with a great feeling inside and a lot to talk about. The intimate theater made the story even more... Expand

    I was very impressed by this original play. I did not really know what to expect, but left with a great feeling inside and a lot to talk about. The intimate theater made the story even more interesting, and the women and two men in the play kept the entire crowd laughing throughout. I plan to go again at the end of the month with some more friends. Collapse

  • Event Name: Keep the Yuletide Gay
    "Greatly enjoyed"
    Review posted by: H from Palo Alto, CA, Dec 11, 2006
    

    We saw Keep the Yuletide yesterday and were delighted with the fast pace and banter. The characters were a bit "over the top" - or stereotyped, as other reviewers noted, but I could identify each as... Expand

    We saw Keep the Yuletide yesterday and were delighted with the fast pace and banter. The characters were a bit "over the top" - or stereotyped, as other reviewers noted, but I could identify each as someone I know. (My favorite was Joy.) I'd definitely recommend seeing the play this holiday. Collapse

  • Event Name: Keep the Yuletide Gay
    "A fabulous night of fun!"
    Review posted by: Sarah from Mountain View, Ca, Dec 11, 2006
    

    "Keep The Yuletide Gay" was a great! I thoroughly enjoyed the witty banter between the friends, and the GREAT quotable one-liners and jokes from the playwright. The audience didn't stop laughing for... Expand

    "Keep The Yuletide Gay" was a great! I thoroughly enjoyed the witty banter between the friends, and the GREAT quotable one-liners and jokes from the playwright. The audience didn't stop laughing for longer than a minute or two during the entire first act, and the subtle grounding of Warren and Holly in Act I made the turn to the serious in Act II completely believable. I wasn't expecting much more than a fun, lighthearted romp, but was pleasantly surprised at the subtle poignancy of the friendship between Warren and Holly that snuck in, reminding the audience that there's more to friendship between a gay man and a straight woman than just who they like to sleep with. Every one of the characters were enjoyably daffy in their own way, and each of the actors played comedic moments with a subtle skill not seen enough on Bay Area stages. It's a wonder to see a good well-written comedy done by a highly talented cast...which is exactly what "Keep The Yuletide Gay" is! Collapse

  • Event Name: Keep the Yuletide Gay
    "A Christmas Treat!"
    Review posted by: A Fan from SF Bay Area, Dec 11, 2006
    

    It's a hilarious ride as you watch the zany happenings at a christmas dinner party gone awry. The back-and-forth between the characters is a laugh a minute. Though the characters may show some... Expand

    It's a hilarious ride as you watch the zany happenings at a christmas dinner party gone awry. The back-and-forth between the characters is a laugh a minute. Though the characters may show some sterotypes, it's part of what makes them funny and endearing. I particulary thought the first half of the show was a nonstop riot. The ending was a little corny, but keeps with the light and fun theme of the production. All in all a great way to spend an evening out with friends. Collapse

  • Event Name: Keep the Yuletide Gay
    "It was enjoyable, but weak !!"
    Review posted by: David Goldstein from San Jose, CA, Dec 10, 2006
    

    The play "Keep the Yuletide Gay", was enjoyable, but weak. The was nothing about the Belles that made them seem like a cohesive group, or even people who would like each other. The characters were... Expand

    The play "Keep the Yuletide Gay", was enjoyable, but weak. The was nothing about the Belles that made them seem like a cohesive group, or even people who would like each other. The characters were very stereotypical. The straight man epitomized every negative trait about heterosexual males, and the gay man, every negative trait about homosexual males. Nothing is ever so black and white. On the other hand, the play is light, fun, and enjoyable, if you don't think about it too much. Collapse

  • Event Name: Keep the Yuletide Gay
    "The world is not black or white"
    Comment posted by: Linda Goldstein from san jose,ca., Dec 10, 2006
    

    I enjoyed the play,KEEP THE YULETIDE GAY.I did feel the characters were too stereotypical.The homosexual and heterosexual were too over the top for me.

    I enjoyed the play,KEEP THE YULETIDE GAY.I did feel the characters were too stereotypical.The homosexual and heterosexual were too over the top for me.

  • Event Name: Keep the Yuletide Gay
    "Very Funny"
    Review posted by: Steve from San Jose, CA, Dec 10, 2006
    

    Hilarious, well plotted & excellence performance. A must see!

    Hilarious, well plotted & excellence performance. A must see!

  • Event Name: Keep the Yuletide Gay
    "A Must See"
    Review posted by: Theater Buff from Sunnyvale, CA, Dec 10, 2006
    

    This is a very delightful play and quite excellent considering it's a small theater production. You get to know all the characters and their respective idiosyncrasies quite well. The strength of the... Expand

    This is a very delightful play and quite excellent considering it's a small theater production. You get to know all the characters and their respective idiosyncrasies quite well. The strength of the cast to fit into their characterizations was very believable even though the story's main premise is fiction. The friendly, yet piercing snipes and timing between Fran and Joy was especially good. My one minor (and I do mean minor) area for improvement was that Warren's straight side was more believable than his gay side - the gay role seemed to call for a more intense and smoother flamboyancy. Overall, definitely worth seeing! Collapse

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