Christmas comedy show “Alcoholidays” returns to the stage Friday at 3rd Act Theatre Company for the first time since 2017.
The comedy was written by husband-wife duo Ted Satterfield, OU adjunct professor, and Melanie Wilderman, professor at Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication. The show will be directed by Oklahoma director Rodney Brazil.
According to Satterfield, the idea for “Alcoholidays” originated in 2013, when the couple began taking notes during family holiday parties. The idea grew into a full production, with performances in 2013, 2015 and 2017. The couple planned a fourth production for 2020, but couldn’t due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Alcoholidays” follows a married couple hopping to and from holiday parties. With stuffy gatherings comes dysfunction and humor. Through comedic twists and turns, the couple finds themselves in precarious party predicaments; and with every down, their bottle, or glass, goes up.
Wilderman and Satterfield said their own holiday experiences influenced the script, crediting their notes from past parties as the spark that ignited the production.
“We had to go to kind of stuffy work parties for Christmas, and then our different family parties and then friend parties,” Satterfield said. “So we thought it was interesting to have a couple sort of trace the different parties they’re going to.”
The play has resonated with audiences in previous performances, selling out the Oklahoma City Civic Center Music Hall in 2015.
The play evolves with every production. This year, the play leans away from discussing the current political climate, focusing more on family dynamics.
“If you’re going to your families at Christmas, there’s going to be people talking about politics and debating,” Wilderman said. “People need a break, so it’s not as set in the current political atmosphere as previous years.”
“Alcoholidays” premiers 8 p.m. Friday at 3rd Act Theater Company in Oklahoma City. Additional showings are 8 p.m. Dec. 6, 12, 13, 19, 20 and 21, with matinee performances at 2:30 p.m. Dec. 14 and 21. Tickets are available online for $25 with discounts for educators, first responders, military, seniors and students.
This story was edited by Madisson Cameron. Andrew Higgins and Sophie Hemker copy edited this story.
