Holiday Gift Guide 2005 |
Ho Ho Hamletby Peter Koch |
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This year, instead of hula-hoops, lumps of coal and missing front teeth, Santa Claus is hoping to deliver one of the finer things in life to WNYers—Shakespearian drama. Neil Garvey (pictured), a professional actor and Buffalo attorney, is taking his act north and reinventing himself as Santa Bard, a Santa-for-hire, to raise money for Shakespeare in Delaware Park (SDP).
Garvey is already well-rehearsed in the role of Santa. “I’ve been doing it for a couple of seasons now for the Philharmonic and some corporate gigs,” he says. “It just occurred to me that Santa might be able to raise some money for Shakespeare, at a time when income for the company was at a seasonal low ebb.” That money will be especially crucial this year, since SDP lost most of its county and city funding in this year’s budget snafu.
SDP has been through hard times before, though, and Garvey was there to help then, too. In 1990, budget cuts at UB forced the Theatre Department there to drop the festival. But Garvey and a handful of others (including SDP founder Saul Elkin) incorporated the company as a not-for-profit organization, effectively preserving the festival. Fifteen years later, it is the nation’s second most successful outdoor Shakespeare festival, attracting more than 50,000 visitors each summer.
Though Garvey has produced or appeared in more than 25 productions of Shakespeare, his role as Santa Bard may be his most dynamic yet. Aside from belting out a haughty “Ho-Ho-Ho!” this Santa can perform readings of classic Christmas tales (“The Night Before Christmas” and “The Grinch” are two favorites), do sing-a-longs or pass out gifts. Garvey also has selections for the high-brow audiences. “I can even pull out a winter-related sonnet or two, if the occasion calls for it. But most people are pretty happy with ‘Jingle Bells’ or ‘The Night Before Christmas.’”
Really, those aren’t his toughest audiences, anyway. “Kids are very perceptive. Adults just play along, but the kids you have to convince. They really have to believe that you are Santa Claus. It’s a challenge, and it’s a lot of fun.”
Dear Santa, Shakespeare in Delaware Park has been good to the people of WNY. Please bring them something nice this year.
Santa Bard is available for hire for corporate, school and personal holiday parties. Rates and information are available at www.geocities.com/santabard. He can also be reached by e-mail at SantaBard@aol.com (no letters to the North Pole, please).
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