CAST

(Amahl and the Night Visitors cast doubling in parentheses)

JUDY - (mezzo-soprano, plays MOTHER | 30s-40s woman, any race)
She is a loving but busy single mother who wants to spend quality time with her son, Rudy. She tries to be patient but is barely keeping it together.

RUDY - (boy soprano, plays AMAHL | child, any race)
He is a good-hearted and imaginative boy. He just wants his mother’s attention and will do anything to get it.

SANTA BARRY - (bass, plays BALTHAZAR | 30s-40s man, black)
He is a singer who is tired of taking terrible gigs. Leading man on stage but a nervous wreck offstage, he just wants something meaningful in his life. He is always putting his foot in his mouth.

SANTA GARY - (bass-baritone, plays MELCHIOR | 30s-40s man, any race)
He is a singer in desperate need of this gig to pay off his student loans from the conservatory. He is the anal-retentive leader of the quartet.

SANTA LARRY - (tenor, plays KASPAR | 50s-60s man, any race)
He is an old war horse of opera, has done every show EVER. A bit of a prima donna, he knows everyone in the business and for some reason lives in Florida. He is far too good for this gig, thank you very much.

SANTA TERRY - (bass, plays PAGE | 20s man, any race)
He is the newest member of the quartet. A young artist fresh out of graduate school, he is desperate to impress ANYONE and EVERYONE.

STAGE MANAGER - (speaking role, any age, race, or gender)
They are the stage manager for the community theater production of Amahl, just trying to keep this show on the road.

CREATIVE TEAM

PRODUCTION TEAM

Opera Orlando has commissioned Four Lost Santas, a lighthearted work highlighting the hustle and bustle of the holidays, to be a comedic companion piece to Gian Carlo Menotti’s more serious and sacred Amahl and the Night Visitors. This one act chamber opera written by Spicer Carr and Rose Freeman, based on a concept by Gabriel Preisser, introduces a quartet of singing Santas, who are in a bind when their car breaks down on the side of the road. When two good samaritans, a mother and son, pull over to help out, things only become more complicated. The world premiere of this pairing is set for December 2024, and this hilarious and heartfelt work is perfect for the whole family, so get ready for what will surely become a new Christmas tradition.

SYNOPSIS

setting: the present
place: the side of the road and a community theatre
somewhere in America (near I-95)

A barbershop quartet of Santas (Barry, Gary, Larry, and Terry) are lost and stranded on the side of the road with a broken down car, missing their big break at SantaCon. A mother and son (Judy and Rudy), who are running late to perform in a production of Amahl and the Night Visitors, see them, and Rudy is amazed at the sight. He insists that he and his mother should help them, but Judy is reluctant to help as she is anxious to get to the show. Rudy, however, reminds her that, “The most important rule or creed is to help those in need!” After a lot of Christmas carols, friendship, and maybe even a little love at first sight, Judy yields. Not able to fix the car, everyone piles into Judy’s car and they head to the theater. They arrive to a stage manager in full panic mode. All three kings and the page have bailed on the Amahl production to go sing in a quartet at SantaCon. Talk about weird coincidences?! The production is about to be canceled until the Santas realize they can save the day and play the parts, because, “everyone’s done Amahl before!” The show is saved, and everyone gets their Christmas wish.

INSTRUMENTATION

flute / clarinet / bassoon / violin I & II / viola / cello / percussion / piano
9 musicians total

WORTH A WATCH

For more information and updates about the development of Four Lost Santas email Info@OperaOrlando.org.