She’s always in black. Every time she enters there’s a thunder clap. She plays a high level German executive come to town to take over a struggling American company that makes uniforms.
If you need any more clues then you’re just not keeping up. As Brooke Wilson concisely puts it: “I essentially play the villain.” Yes, for the second year in a row Theatre Under the Stars is presenting The Ugly Xmas Sweater Musical at the Hobby Center and Wilson plays Olga.
“She’s coming to liquidate [Regalia Uniforms.] She’s basically a global takeover villainess.” And yes, sometimes when Wilson (TUTS: Million Dollar Quartet, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, Urban Cowboy) plays the role, she’s booed by the audience.
Playwrights, directors and actors are often fond of saying that the audience itself is an essential part of any production. In The Ugly Xmas Sweater Musical this is more true than most since audience members are encouraged to wear their own ugly holiday sweaters to the theater and may be called upon to model their outfits on stage.
The musical’s action begins with that most dreaded of holiday experiences: the office Christmas party. It’s there that the company employees learn the company has been sold and they may all be out of a job by Christmas.
Cheryl, played once again by Julia Krohn, is the director of Human Resources and along with two co-workers comes up with a plan for them to switch to making ugly Christmas sweaters by recycling the uniforms — all in an effort to save their jobs.
What follows are audience votes for her plan, ugly sweaters displayed by cast and audience alike and songs throughout. The action is fast and continuous. This is a one act with no intermission.
There has been some updating since last year, Wilson says. There will be a reference to Moo Deng, the baby hippo whose actions have gone viral. (We’ve included the video in case you’re not up to date on this internet sensation.)
The show is safe for kids with only one or two cuss words, Wilson says.
“It is just pure silly fun. It’s not anything too heavy. Everybody just comes in wearing their ugly sweaters or not and ready to sing some Christmas carols that they know and watch us kind of clown around on stage. It’s a really nice opportunity for people just to sit back and laugh.”
Performances are scheduled for December 3-22 at varied times so check their ticketing website. At the Hobby Center, 800 Bagby. For more information, call 713-315-2525 or visit tuts.com. $35.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2024.
