Tonight is your last chance to see A Tuna Christmas. A few tickets are left for this holiday tradition, so get yours now.

Someone in last night's audience said after the show:

"My neighbor told me this year was even funnier than last year...and they were right! I'm going to be laughing for days!"

Tickets are available at the door - or online at www.jcity.org

Laughing it up at J City

Friday, December 10, 2010
By PETER FILICHIA - FOR THE JERSEY JOURNAL

The sign above the set is supposed to spell out "Happy Holidays" in lights - but more than half the bulbs have burned out.

No problem. The bright performances that Kellis Carroll and Clay Cockrell are giving in "A Tuna Christmas" light up the J City Theater stage with their own high wattage.

"A Tuna Christmas" is the delightful holiday edition of "Greater Tuna," the 1982 surprise off-Broadway hit. Once again authors Jaston Williams, Joe Sears and Ed Howard joined forces to take a look at a lonely Lone Star State rural town.

Tuna, Texas, is a dot on the map where everybody knows everybody else's business - for what else does anyone have to do with his time? That means that if you had an incontinence problem as a child, don't expect anyone to forget it - even when you're old enough to be the town sheriff.

To replicate Tuna's population of 568 would be too immense for even the richest Broadway budget. So Carroll and Cockrell simply play many of its prominent residents: young and old, male and female.

Although both are successful throughout, Cockrell seems to have the most fun in portraying Didi Snavely, the shop owner who purveys "weapons for the home, the car and the workplace." Or does he prefer Vera Carp, the woman who's convinced that she's the big fish in Tuna?

Carroll enjoys his stint as Bertha Bumiller, the head of the local censorship bureau that isn't sure it'll approve every word of the upcoming community theater production of "A Christmas Carol."

The actors frequently rush off-stage to change costumes - and they get laughs each time they return, acknowledging not just their speed, but their outrageous new outfits.

When Cockrell must play a woman, he automatically becomes what is euphemistically known as a "big girl." One of the great mysteries of the season must be how women's clothes could be found to fit him. While we're at it: Where did those poinsettia-appliqu?d high heel shoes come from?

The two-hour show is briskly done thanks to director Sandy Cockrell, Clay's wife, who knows how to get all the juice from the comedy.

And yet, one of the most fascinating aspects of "A Tuna Christmas" is that the authors don't spend all their time mocking the town or its inhabitants. They have a good deal of sympathy for the poor souls who can't extricate themselves from this cultural wasteland, and for those who won't be having a Merry Christmas.

Better still, the playwrights take care to show that there are solid brains in these people's heads.

In fact, Tuna could easily be described as "Simile City," given how often its inhabitants make comparisons.

Bump.
Come see the show the Star Ledger calls "hilarious. With performances that light up the J City stage with high wattage!"

tonight through Saturday. 8pm

We're a hit!

Here's today's review of A Tuna Christmas in The Star Ledger!

The sign above the set is supposed to spell out ?Happy Holidays? in lights ? but more than half the bulbs have burned out.

No problem. The bright performances that Kellis Carroll and Clay Cockrell are giving in ?A Tuna Christmas? light up the J City Theater stage with their own high wattage.

?A Tuna Christmas? is the delightful holiday edition of ?Greater Tuna,? the 1982 surprise off-Broadway hit. Once again authors Jaston Williams, Joe Sears and Ed Howard joined forces to take a look at a lonely Lone Star State rural town. Tuna, Texas, is a dot on the map where everybody knows everybody else?s business ? for what else does anyone have to do with his time? That means that if you had an incontinence problem as a child, don?t expect anyone to forget it ? even when you?re old enough to be the town sheriff.

To replicate Tuna?s population of 568 would be too immense for even the richest Broadway budget. So Carroll and Cockrell simply play many of its prominent residents: young and old, male and female.

Although both are successful throughout, Cockrell seems to have the most fun in portraying Didi Snavely, the shop owner who purveys ?weapons for the home, the car and the workplace.? Or does he prefer Vera Carp, the woman who?s convinced that she?s the big fish in Tuna?

Carroll enjoys his stint as Bertha Bumiller, the head of the local censorship bureau that isn?t sure it?ll approve every word of the upcoming community theater production of ?A Christmas Carol.?

The actors frequently rush off-stage to change costumes ? and they get laughs each time they return, acknowledging not just their speed, but their outrageous new outfits.

When Cockrell must play a woman, he automatically becomes what is euphemistically known as a ?big girl.? One of the great mysteries of the season must be how women?s clothes could be found to fit him. While we?re at it: Where did those poinsettia-appliqu?d high heel shoes come from?

And what about those wigs, which are ? to borrow a lyric from a musical that celebrates a nearby state ? as high as an elephant?s eye?

The two-hour show is briskly done thanks to director Sandy Cockrell, Clay?s wife, who knows how to get all the juice from the comedy. She gets laughs from the tiniest details: When her two actors play older women, they don?t just plop into chairs when they sit down ? given their age and aches, it?s a slow-motion adventure.

And yet, one of the most fascinating aspects of ?A Tuna Christmas? is that the authors don?t spend all their time mocking the town or its inhabitants. They have a good deal of sympathy for the poor souls who can?t extricate themselves from this cultural wasteland, and for those who won?t be having a Merry Christmas.

Better still, the playwrights take care to show that there are solid brains in these people?s heads, and that many are capable of speaking in a most poetic way. In fact, Tuna could easily be described as ?Simile City,? given how often its inhabitants make comparisons. ?He?s as useless as ice-trays in hell? is quickly followed by ?She screamed like white trash at a tent meeting.? And who could forget, ?She looked like death chewing on a cracker??

Well, the word ?simile? does contain the word ?smile.? And smile is what theatergoers will do at ?A Tuna Christmas? ? that is, when they?re not roaring at Cockrell, Carroll and their outsize creations.

A Tuna Christmas

Where: J City Theater, 252 Ninth St. at Hamilton Park, Jersey City

When: Tonight through Saturday at 8 p.m.

How much: $20. Call (800) 838-3006 or visit jcity.org.

Final four performances of A Tuna Christmas are this Wednesday through Saturday - 8pm. Final show will be December 11th!

Tickets are still available so get yours now!

Here are what audiences are saying:

"I laughed so hard my sides are still hurting."
"I can't stop smiling! What a great way to start the holiday season!"
"Once again - J CITY does an excellent job! We had a blast!"
"Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without Tuna!"

Hope to see you there!

Location: 252 9th Street Jersey City.
Tix: $20.00
More info: www.jcity.org

What an amazing opening night! A packed house! Our biggest opening night ever.

Looking forward to a great run!

Clay
J CITY Theater

Opening night is TONIGHT!!!!!!

Hope to see you there!

Tomorrow is opening for A Tuna Christmas - and I wanted to let everyone know about our dinner and show packages with local restaurants:

Option 1:
Just as in the past, The Embankment Restaurant is offering their $30.00 prix fixe meal (3 courses!) for those seeing the show later that night. Just tell your waiter you are seeing the show after the meal.

Option 2:
Hamilton Inn is offering 10% off your entire bill (that's right - not a typo: the entire bill) for those seeing the show later that night. Not to be combined with other specials.

Two great ways to support your local restaurants, see a great show, and save money!

Tuna Rides again! But it will be gone before you know it - get your tickets now!


On Wednesday, December 1st, J CITY Theater opens their annual holiday spectacular: A TUNA CHRISTMAS.

"A Tuna Christmas" is a marathon Christmas comedy of Southern Madness. The Christmas yard display contest is heating up in the small town of Tuna, Texas as neighbor fights neighbor for the most outrageous display of lights, Santas, Baby Jesus' and Rudolphs. This year however, there is a Christmas Phantom on the loose, spreading vandalism and chaos.

With quick-change zaniness and quicksilver one-liners, two actors introduce us to 22 of the wildest citizens in Tuna, Texas.

J CITY?s annual production of A TUNA CHRISTMAS has become a not-to-be-missed holiday tradition in downtown Jersey City. Having grown each year, it has now reached the level of outrageous spectacle. And this year the big hair is bigger and the high heels are higher!

Beginning December 1st and ending December 11th.

Performances run Wednesdays through Saturdays - 8pm.
Location: 252 9th Street
Tix: $20.00
More info: www.jcity.org