"Be A Santa" from "Subways are for Sleeping"

Scroll down for three exciting stage show snippits of Santa and his helpers.

This first wonderful ten minute YouTube production is based on my long-held conviction that everyone can BE a Santa. (Mothers around the world fulfill this conviction every Christmas Eve as Fathers are out doing last minute shopping, buying a tree or, at the Happy Howe House, playing Santa for families who need one.)

In 2008 this is how Broadwayj1 video taped the Indianapolis Symphony showcase of the annual performance of the Tap Dancing Santas featuring a "Santatizing" Machine in their "08 Yultide Celebration".

For years I've been the Intermission on tour with Marie Osmond's Magic of Christmas Show. Watch how Ann Hampton Callaway, the host of the symphony Yuletide program greets Santa and goes off stage for a costume change, likely a drink and other personal business. It's just about the way we've done it on stage across the country for more than 30 years.

You'll enjoy the terrific way they get her back on stage! Enjoy this marvelous of On-Stage Santa craft. Aaron Fuksa couldn't be a more jolly, musical Santa star of this segment.



Here's the lyrics of the Broadway version of this North Pole Anthem for your study and enjoyment. It is, for me, a most adequate mission statement for what we do in the cap and bells--at Christmas and for some, Year "Round!

Be a Santa, jolly Santa, happy Santa
Give the world a merry Christmas
Be Chris Cringle, bells will jingle
What you bring will fill the world with joy

Come on and twink that twinkle, wrinkle your eyes
Buckle your chins, bring out your bell
Remember wink and giggle, wiggle your beard
Keep up your grins, get out and sell the spell
of all Noël Noël

Be a Santa, roly Santa, holy Santa
Spread the word ‘A merry Christmas’
Be so jolly that with holly and by golly
everyone will love you if you’ll be a Santa Clause

Grab your belly, then let go,
shake like jelly too and throw (hahahahahaha hohohoho)
a roar and bellow in the snow,
like a mellow buffalo (hahahahahaha hohohohohoho)

Be a Santa, jolly Santa, happy Santa
Give the world a merry Christmas
Be Chris Cringle, bells will jingle
What you bring will fill the world with joy

Come on and twink that twinkle, wrinkle your eyes
Buckle your chins, bring out your bell
Remember wink and giggle, wiggle your beard
Keep up your grins, get out and sell the spell
of all Noël Noël
Be a Santa, jolly Santa, happy Santa
Give the world a merry Christmas
Be a Santa Clause

[Thanks to mandy ducroix for lyrics]
http://www.allmusicals.com/lyrics/subwaysareforsleeping/beasanta.htm
JWC

This second very brief 1:14 clip of the Rockettes and Santa performing in Tulsa Oklahoma at the BOK center on December 22nd, 2008 (I think I see my niece, Lindsay Howe, from Sacramento, California in the auburn hair on the front line.)



Third and finally what appears to be a bootleg video of a Rockettes' Christmas show from 2005 that draws attention to another outstanding example of Santa Stage Craft--and brilliant full screen video clouds on a cold winter's night. YouTube is filled with these. Be patient with the awkward camera work. Eventually it smooths out for a good look at dancing and performance. (This is precisely what entertainment managers hope never happens--somebody in the audience with a home camera stealing their choreography and effects.) As a producer and performer, I'm glad for the great examples. Note the antler's at the end of the number.

For almost 77 years the Rockettes have perform for millions ! Troupe was started by Russell Markert in 1925 as the Missouri Rockets ! Samuel Roxy Rothafel brought the dancers to NY to perform at The Roxi Theatre & in 1932 the Company left with Rothafel to opened a show @ RCMH & the rest is Dance precision history .