For more than a decade, the theater community has recognized a holiday tradition set to the strains of Tchaikovsky. No, I’m not talking about The Nutcracker ballet… at least not directly. Rather, Mark-Brian Sonna has directed and starred in his comic send-up The Beulaville Baptist Book Club Presents A Bur-Less-Q Nutcracker. In all that time, the production, courtesy of Sonna’s MBS Productions, has kicked its way in the Stone Cottage Theatre at Addison Theatre Centre.
Well, this year, change is coming, in more ways than one. First, the show is moving into the larger main stage at ATC. Second, the production will commemorate its astonishing 300th performance on Christmas Eve. Then two days later, Sonna himself will dance the role of Dickey for his final time.
“After 11 years, 1,500 toe touches, 300 pickles, six jazz shoes, five point shoes and two tap shoes, my body is wearing out,” Sonna told me. The production will return next season, but, he says, “We will need to find a new Dickey.”
But if there’s anything gay men are good at, it’s finding new Dickeys.
Bur-Less-Q returns on Friday, Nov. 24.
Congrats, Mark-Brian!

— Arnold Wayne Jones