THE GIANT HOAX
CHRISTMAS EVE IN DIKANKA
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Kit Goldstein Grant
Based on the story "Christmas Eve" by Nikolai Gogol
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Full Length Musical
Small Cast: 3m, 2f (additional cast possible)
Running Time: 90 Minutes
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It’s Christmas Eve in Dikanka, and a blacksmith must find fancy shoes like those worn by the Czarina in the next few hours or lose the heart of his lady love. But when the Devil comes to town, will he give up his soul for a sole? And what will he do about his mother, who is a promiscuous witch? No really, an actual witch. This loosely adapted take on Nikolai Gogol’s story sets the show in a meta-theatrical universe which combines a Ukrainian 19th century absurdist tone and a modern sensibility, plus a lotta slapstick.
ABOUT THE SHOW
Artwork by Nancy Gold
Graphic Design by Michael Grant
PRODUCTION HISTORY
Juan Calix in a workshop at Gallery Players in Brookylyn, NY. Photo by Yui Kitamura
Christmas Eve in Dikanka was workshopped at Gallery Players in Brooklyn, NY, as part of their Overtures series in December 2024, with producer Judith Manocherian (Broadway: SWEPT AWAY, PICTURES FROM HOME, THE GREAT SOCIETY, THE PROM (Drama Desk), THE LIFESPAN OF A FACT, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND (Tony)) and associate producer Alexa Powell.
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A staged reading was presented by Judith Manocherian LLC, in association with Multicultural Sonic Evolution and Theater Now NY, in December 2023 at Pearl Studios in New York, NY.
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Christmas Eve in Dikanka has received developmental readings at The Playground Experiment in New York, NY, and been workshopped at Theatre Now New York’s Musical Writers Lab, where it was featured in their First Look industry presentation. Selections from the show have also been seen at the Verse-Intro Cabaret at the SoHo Playhouse in NYC.
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Click HERE to request a perusal script & demos.