In world premiere of “Yeti for Love,” a television classic inspires new holiday hero

Dec 13, 2024

Nostalgia comes with sizzle and silliness this holiday season in “Yeti for Love,” a new drama that reunites Louisville playwright Brian David Walker with director Gil Reyes, who is in his inaugural year at the helm as Pandora Productions’ artistic director. The two began working together in the early oughts on such works as “The Great American Sex Play.”

Michael Guarnieri in Brian Walker’s “Yeti for Love” at Pandora Productions. Photo courtesy of Pandora Productions.

It’s a given that at this time of year, many people go for the nostalgic with the standards — “A Christmas Carol” or “A Christmas Carol: The Musical,” “It’s a Wonderful Life,” and “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.” *

Then comes “Yeti for Love,” a new play that premiered last Friday. This comedy can perfectly usher one into the holidays for those who like to shake things up. It scratches that nostalgic itch echoing a story from childhood and television while injecting it with saucy and bawdy humor that always has a sweet side. There also is simulated sex, which is comical. This is classical Walker, his gift to audiences.

For Yeti (Corey Music), whose mother gave him the name Yetiais, happiness during the holiday season comes from staging his recreated version of the 1964 television movie “Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer.” (This play’s opening night was on the 60^th anniversary evening of the television movie’s original airing.) Yeti, here, is a nod to the movie’s Abominable Snowmonster of the North, also called Bumble.

Corey Music, Carol Schorr and Sean Childress in Brian Walker’s “Yeti for Love” at Pandora Productions. Photo courtesy of Pandora Productions.

Before the audience meets Yeti, they can suspect what might be in store because Walker has provided an alternative to Sam the Snowman, Burl Ives’ narrator in the television movie. That, of course, is Sam the Drag Queen, which Michael Guarnieri plays with utmost charm and fun.

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Annually, Yeti stages his production at the senior living community where he works by cajoling fellow staff to take on roles in the production. The residents love Yeti for this production, the thoughtful work he puts in as activities director year-round, and his friendship.

Bailey Preston and Corey Music in Brian Walker’s “Yeti for Love” at Pandora Productions. Photo courtesy of Pandora Productions.

The boss, Karen (Bailey Preston), is rather humbug on the whole effort and seeks to put a kibosh on this custom. Preston nails Karen’s tough, straight-talking character who just wants to earn her pricey executive paycheck and go home. Yeti frustrates her with his dedication to his work and the residents —he clocks some 60 hours a week or more there. Looking for love in all the wrong places, Yeti seeks much of his life’s fulfillment from his work life. She and his friends urge him to get a life outside his job.

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Music as Yeti is very much a teddy bear of a guy. He is sweet and loved by the seniors, particularly Bunny (Carol Schorr) and William (Sean Childress). Schorr and Childress easily render Yeti’s genuine stalwart cheerleaders as multi-dimensional seniors. They cheer Yeti on in his quest to find a boyfriend before Christmas. Walker’s script elevates them with deeper backstories, even though these stories feel thrown in near the end and stall the pacing.

Corey Music and Peyton Robbins in Brian Walker’s “Yeti for Love” at Pandora Productions. Photo courtesy of Pandora Productions.

Yeti holds on to hope as he plods through two dates, hookups found via an app. He finds disappointment and men (Ian Fitzgerald and Peyton Robbins) who eerily and hilariously echo characters from the Rudolph story. He finds date number three among the actors he has hired to stage the annual holiday production. Bear (Keith McGill) is kind but Yeti becomes unhinged when he discovers Bear’s real job.

Holiday magic does prevail, of course. But Yeti has many obstacles to face before finding it. Some of those are in himself. This means a script with talks from the heart of Yeti and other characters. They feel genuine, of course, but at times they slow the play’s pacing.

Keith McGill, Corey Music, Vidalia Unwin and Ian Fitzgerald in Brian Walker’s “Yeti for Love” at Pandora Productions. Photo courtesy of Pandora Productions.

While the simulated sex scenes take place under sheets and behind stage pieces, they do not conceal how awkward sex with a stranger can be. What makes them so funny is that somewhere lurking in each character is a nod or a detail to “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”

But in Yeti’s journey with all the hijinks and turmoil, love prevails. That’s akin to Hermey, that elf on “Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer” who just wants to be a dentist and ends up with a devoted group of friends.

Elizabeth Kramer is on Facebook at Elizabeth Kramer – Arts Writer, on Instagram at @artsbureau.

“Yeti for Love” by Brian Walker. A production of Pandora Productions

Through Dec. 22

Henry Clay Theatre

604 S. Third Street, 3rd Floor

For more information: www.pandoraprods.org

* OTHER HOLIDAY SHOWS

“A Christmas Carol” • Faith Works Studios

“A Christmas Carol” • Highview Arts Center

““A Christmas Carol: The Musical” • Clarksville Little Theatre

“Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins” • Actors Theatre of Louisville

“It’s a Wonderful Life” • Derby Dinner Playhouse