This North Coast Weekend

Opening Thursday at HSU was the contemporary holiday comedy, Some Assembly Required by Canadian playwright Eugene Stickland (who will not after all be on campus this weekend, as director Rae Robison had hoped.)  The opening night audience rocked Gist Hall Theatre with laughter, and audience members noted resemblances to their own crazy families at the holidays.

The HSU Theatre, Film & Dance production features Evan Needham (familiar from NCRT roles), Romy Clugston (an exchange student from Australia), and HSU students Kyle Handziak, Karianne Nelson and Shea King.  Stars were born!  The show continues Friday and Saturday this weekend at 7:30, then one more weekend, Thurs-Sat. with a 2 p.m. matinee on December 11.  Much more at HSU Stage & Screen.

Also opening Thursday at the Arcata Playhouse is A Recessionary Christmas, with Jacqueline Dandeneau as an upwardly mobile woman who suffers a foreclosure and must return to her unusual parents, played by Bob and Lynn Wells. A crazy sister (Amy Tetzlaff) and various neighbors popping in (different guests artists for each performance) add to the holiday mayhem.  Live music by Tim Randles, Tim Gray and Marla Joy, written by Tyler Olsen and directed by Lydia Foreman. The Playhouse Recessionary Christmas runs Thursday through Sunday, December 1-10 at 8 p.m..  For more information call (707) 822-1575.

Continuing: A Christmas Story at Ferndale Rep, The Mousetrap at NCRT and Dell Arte's The Nutcaper at various locations.