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‘Who’s Holiday!’ next at Stage Left Productions

Hajek appears in profane riff on ‘Grinch’ 40 years later

Posted 11/30/20

For its second presentation since emerging from “lockdown” in October, Stage Left Productions is presenting another one-character play under secure virus protected conditions.

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‘Who’s Holiday!’ next at Stage Left Productions

Hajek appears in profane riff on ‘Grinch’ 40 years later

Posted

For its second presentation since emerging from “lockdown” in October, Stage Left Productions, 11340 W. Bell Road Suite No. 105, is presenting another one-character play under secure virus protected conditions.

First presented off-Broadway three years ago to rave reviews, “Who’s Holiday!” by Matthew Lombardo is an adults-only profane riff on the Dr. Seuss tale of “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas.”

Starring as the now-middle-aged Cindy Lou Who, the little tyke of the original story, is Kelly Hajek, making her second appearance with Stage Left. She performed last year as Stella, the devoted wife in “A Streetcar Named Desire,” for which she was nominated as Best Actress in a Leading Role by ariZoni Theater Awards.

She is again directed by Cody Dull, winner of an award last year as Best Director.

The play will run from Wednesday, Dec. 2 through Sunday, Dec. 20. Performances are at 7 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday evenings, and 2 p.m. Sunday afternoons.

Cindy Lou is home alone in her Airstream trailer, decorated with seasonal kitsch, on another Christmas Eve awaiting guests for a holiday gathering. The years haven’t been kind to her.

The Grinch had reentered her life as a teenager, and not in any positive way. He guided her destiny. But while she’s become a booze-guzzling, cigarette-sucking outcast, she has stayed lovably upbeat.

As she chronicles her life, the story she tells is a comical riot, engaging audience members with profane repartee, singing with gutsy verve and even rapping a bit.

The playwright manages all of this with the rhyme and rhythm of Dr. Seuss, and provides an audience with a sweet, sentimental ending, sending it out of the theater with smiles and feelings to suit the holiday season.

Ms. Hajek is well-known to Valley audiences. She began her training in fine arts at Scottsdale Community College and finished at the University of Arizona where she received her bachelor’s degree.

At Arizona Repertory Theatre, she has appeared as Portia in “The Merchant of Venice,” as the Queen in “Richard III,” as Kate in “The Cripple of Inishmaan” and as Claire in “Proof.”

At Desert Foothills Theater she played the role of Elizabeth Proctor in “The Crucible.” While at Scottsdale Community College she appeared in “The Good Person of Szechwan” and “The Addams Family.”

In 2017, she received a People’s Choice Award from the Arizona Young Artists’ Competition. She tells her director, Mr. Dull that she is particularly challenged by the rhymes and rhythms of the script that emulate the style of Dr. Seuss. “No room for error.”

Audiences are to be reminded that seats are extremely limited, and must be purchased in advance.

The outside doors to the theater will not be opened until the house is open. Each patron will be escorted directly to their seat without lingering in the lobby. Masks must be worn throughout the performance.

Tickets may be obtained online 24/7 at tickets@stageleftaz.com. They may also be obtained by phone from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday to Wednesday at 623-285-6321.