guest post by Violet Blue
Many of us think of Christopher Walken as “The King of New York” — but how many remember Walken as the king of all those stop-action animated holiday TV specials that shaped the very foundation of our ability to see right from wrong, Santa from Satan, and when how sometimes in life an elf or two maybe occasionally needed to get whacked so little Timmy could get his toy boat?
Well, local theater company MacGyver Productions remember Walken’s formative voice-acting jobs from children’s television specials such as “The Year Without a Santa Claus” (1974), where demonic Heat Miser (voiced by George S. Irving) battles his arch-nemesis Snow Miser over the fate of Santa Claus. ‘Cause look: Snow Miser, he *owns* the North Pole. And he doesn’t like to be left out of business, unless you like your reindeer fulla bullet holes (hey, there’s “transportation costs” too). So MacGyver Productions has — this weekend only, in San Francisco, four nights — turned Walken’s ouvre as the voice of evil clay into, you guessed it: a cabaret called I Am Snowmiser: Walken In A Winter Wonderland.
There’s no business like snow business.
Christopher Walken [as played by Sean Owens] recounts his life for his official biography, reliving the greatest and most dreadful moments of his career, in such roles as Snowmiser, Frosty the Snowman’s whistle-swallowing Cop, and the nay-saying anti-dentistry Boss Elf. He broke the hearts of Mrs. Claus and the Doll from the Island of Misfit Toys, but ultimately found a holiday spirit which cannot be denied. Walk in our winter wonderland and bask in our ranks of the best local SF talent!
IAS:WIAWW is a MACGYVER PRODCUTION from Rhiannon Charisse and features the talents of Sean Owens, Sherilyn Connelly, Alexia Staniotes, Mikl-Em, Jim Jeske, Erin Lucas, Dan Foley, and Kelly McCarron.
Performances are at The Dark Room Theater on December 12, 13, 19, and 20. Tickets are $20 at the door, or $15 online via Brown Paper Tickets.
See Also: Star Wars: Live on Stage at The Dark Room
UPDATE 1: The “I Am Snowmiser” trailer is now online:
UPDATE 2: Scott shot some photos of “I Am Snowmiser”:
UPDATE 3: Puzzling Evidence shot video of Christopher Walken talking about misfit toys.
illustration by Rhiannon Charisse
Here Are A Few Related Posts You Might Enjoy:
- Photos of I Am Snowmiser: Walken in a Winter Wonderland
- Christopher Walken for President in 2008
- Christopher Walken Building A Robot In His Garage
- Alice in Wonderland Tea Party, Croquet Tournament & Trunk Show
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
While this is a great idea for a show, as a true Walken fan, I must note that he never actually voiced any of those parts in those TV specials.
A simple internet search shows that Snow Miser was voiced by Dick Shawn. So what now exactly were his “formative voice-acting jobs from children’s television specials?
duh
Darlings. Though I may be biased, I think I can provide some clarification.
This show is what one might call a combination of satire and parody. It is not reality, dears.
Come see the show. LAFFF!! Besides, you know you want to see Christopher Walken sing SnowMiser. And Jingle Bells.
You will not have LIVED until you have seen him sing zee Jingle Bells!
[full disclosure -- I gave birth to the Director of this show. ]