A Note from the Director of The Last Christmas by Timothy Mark Davis
Welcome to The Last Christmas by Tyler Johnson Grimes! This third installment in our WNCP trilogy is our most original production yet and the ultimate culmination of what these shows have become about for New City Players: family. Specifically the chosen families we find (or that find us).
It’s not lost on me that The Last Christmas is about a group of misfits trying to put on a show. It wasn’t lost on me last year that the meta-storyline of our adaptation of A Christmas Carol was about another group of misfits trying to “save the station”.
Working in the nonprofit sector, specifically in the nonprofit arts sector, is challenging. There’s never enough time or enough money or rest. You experience very high highs and very low lows when trying to build something from scratch (particularly when you’re constantly trying to prove your value).
So why keep doing it? If you’ve ever spent an entire weekend surrounded by a group of people who could all very well be doing something else but are instead right alongside you trying desperately to put a story together to make other people feel something… then you know exactly why I keep doing it. It’s the people.
One of my hopes in telling these Christmas stories each year is that the family and joy created by the group putting on the show overflows to each of you as you experience it. My other hope is that you are reminded that when we share stories we come closer together. Whether you are the sharer or the listener, stories have the power to transform. That’s what this play is about and that’s what New City Players is about.
I want to thank Marlo, Casey, Susanna, Caroline, Carlos, Nick, Harold, Summer, Amber, Andrea, Aubrey, Jam, Laura, Annabel, JB, Richard, and Ali for joining me on this journey of creation and giving your whole selves to this project. And I especially want to thank my dear friend, our playwright, and our sound and foley designer, Tyler, for being a wholehearted, generous, and wonderful creator and collaborator these last three Christmases.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all! Enjoy the show!
THE LAST CHRISTMAS by Tyler Johnson Grimes
A World Premiere
Directed by Timothy Mark Davis
The Last Christmas invites you to once again tune-in to WNCP Radio. It's December 24, 1999, and Eve Hart finds herself alone at the mic for the first time, filling in for the legendary host of Calling Claire. As anonymous callers share memories of love, loss, and a little holiday magic, Eve and her close-knit crew of radio misfits discover that sometimes the heart of Christmas isn't wrapped in a bow—it’s found in unexpected moments and imperfect connections. Set against a backdrop of Y2K jitters and 90s nostalgia, this third and final entry in our WNCP trilogy reminds us that even in the face of uncertainty, a shared story can help us all find our way home.
WHEN
December 6-22, 2024
PRICE
$40 Ticket
$25 Student Ticket
Make sure to plan your visit after booking tickets!