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A Twisted Christmas Carol

Full-Length Play, Comedy  /  2w, 3m

Phil Olson

A Twisted Christmas Carol is a Texas spoof of Charles Dickens' classic A Christmas Carol. It’s Christmas Eve in a small west Texas town, and cantankerous barbecue joint owner Buford Johnson gets hit by a twister, setting off a Dickensian adventure with a Texas twist.

A Twisted Christmas Carol

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    2w, 3m
  • Duration
    Duration
    120 minutes (2 hours)
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Christmas/Holiday, Parody/Spoof
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult, Teen (Age 14-18)

Details

Summary
A Twisted Christmas Carol is a Texas spoof of Charles Dickens' classic A Christmas Carol. It’s Christmas Eve in a small west Texas town, and cantankerous barbecue joint owner Buford Johnson gets in an argument with his wife Darla, tells her he's skipping Christmas, storms out of the restaurant, goes four-wheeling in his pickup, gets hit by a twister, rolls his truck, and goes into a coma. He comes back in his dream where he's visited by ex-business partner, Hank Walker, who plays the ghost of Christmas past, present, and future. Hank takes Buford on a journey similar to Scrooge's in A Christmas Carol, only Texas-style.
History
A Twisted Christmas Carol made its world premiere in November 2019, opening simultaneously around the United States in nine theatres, including: SkyPilot Theatre in Los Angeles, CA; Town Players in Watertown, SD; High Desert Center for the Arts in Victorville, CA; Port Arthur Little Theatre in Port Arthur, TX; Alton Little Theatre in Alton, IL; Hill Country Community Theatre in Cottonwood Shores, TX; Indian Valley Theatre in Sandwich, IL; and Trinidad Community Theatre in Trinidad, CO.
Keywords
Performing Groups

Darla Johnson – Strong-willed co-owner of a barbecue joint called "Buford's Open Pit BBQ." She's been married to Buford for a long time.
Buford Johnson – Darla's husband. Strong-willed co-owner of Buford's BBQ. A Texan Archie Bunker.
Bubba Pickford – Oblivious, dense business owner.
Daisy Newsom – Pretty, young, dreamy ex-short order cook at Buford's BBQ.
Hank Walker – Famous barbecue legend, owner of Hank's Own Barbecue Sauce. A ladies' man.

  • Time Period Present Day
  • Setting Buford's Open Pit Barbecue, a little barbecue joint in rural west Texas, on Christmas Eve.
  • Features Contemporary Costumes/Street Clothes
  • Duration 120 minutes (2 hours)

Media

“A tasty holiday treat!” – The Tolucan Times

“A Twisted Christmas Carol is a wonderful addition to your holiday season, and a wonderful gift to give to your friends and family!... You will fall on the floor laughing!” – NoHoArts.com

“Check out this brilliant and hilarious new comedy by Phil Olson which is oh, so much more than merely funny!... This play with non-stop hilarity punctuated by heartfelt sincerity is nothing but genuine honesty amid ever-present lunacy!” – At the Theatre

“A tasty holiday treat!” – The Tolucan Times

“Funny throughout!… It ends in a very happy Christmas for all.” – Carol's Culture Corner

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: £55 per performance plus VAT when applicable.

Scripts

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Authors

Phil Olson

Phil Olson

Phil Olson grew up in Edina, Minnesota, home of the first indoor mall. His father’s grandparents came over from Norway and homesteaded a farm north of Fargo, North Dakota. His mother’s grandparents also came over from Norway and ended up in Virginia, Minnesota; the iron range ...

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