End the Year Laughing with Rubber Chicken Theater’s Hilarious Holiday Comedy Shows
Rubber Chicken Theater has been writing and performing sketch comedy revues since the group’s inception fifteen years ago. This year, they have two offerings to both end 2024 and to ring in 2025 with their “A Christmas Comedy Carol” and “New Year’s Clucking Eve.”
“A Christmas Comedy Carol,” or “How I Learned to Stop Scrooging and Keep Laughing,” is the traditional sketch comedy revue for which Rubber Chicken Theater is best known.
The show features original sketches and song parodies that have fun with Minnesota news items and general holiday silliness, such as the long lines at Chick-fil-A, wayward sheep, and one night in a newly named Duluth snowplow.
New Year’s Cluckin’ Eve” is a different show, except for a few of the most popular sketches from the “Comedy Carol” show revue. “Cluckin’ Eve” includes a new episode of Duluth Drunk History (the night Bob Dylan saw Buddy Holly at the Armory), Steve Solkela as Brad the Sheep singing “I’ve Been Everywhere,” and the interactive game show Minnesota Potluck. Donated giveaways from local businesses will be part of the festivities.
The shows feature the onstage talents of Minden Anderson, Jeremy Churchill, Tate Haglund-Pagel, Kaylee Matuszak, Tina Makela, Chris Nollet, Nathan Payne, Steve Solkela, Joel Youngblom, and revue newcomers Sally Churchill and Hailey Eidenschink. Linda Bray is the piano accompanist.
Matuszak said of his pianist Linda Bray, who has been playing his holiday shows since 2008, “Not only is she fabulously talented, but she laughs at every sketch in rehearsals, no matter how many times she has heard it. Helps us remember it’s funny. She also is able to figure out just about any crazy piece of music we throw at her. Need Christmas music that sounds spooky? She’ll make it happen. Need ‘Waterloo’ by Abba but only need the first two verses, then jump to thof the song? She’s got it!”
Matuszak’s daughter, Kaylee Matuszak, started in a few cameos in holiday shows and has been a full-time cast member since 2018. ”It’s nice to know we have someone who can deliver the goods on the song parodies. Last year, she sang every Broadway parody we had as Emily Larson. Her “Don’t Cry for Me, Zenith City” brought the house down. She’s amazing!” said Matuszak.
Information on Rubber Chicken Theater’s Holiday Shows
“A Christmas Comedy Carol, or How I Learned to Stop Scrooging and Keep Laughing”
Studio Four in the St. Louis County Depot
506 West Michigan Street, downtown Duluth
December 20-21, 27-28 at 7:30 p.m.
Studio Four in the St. Louis County Depot
$25 per person. Cash or Venmo only. Seating is general but call-ahead spot reservations are accepted. Seats are held until 7:20 pm
“New Year’s Cluckin’ Eve”
Studio Four in the St. Louis County Depot
506 West Michigan Street, downtown Duluth
December 31 at 7:30 p.m.
$30 per person. Cash or Venmo only. Seating is general but call-ahead spot reservations are accepted. Seats are held until 7:20.
For more information on both shows, call (218) 213-2780, e-mail brian@RubberChickenTheater.com
Find Rubber Chicken Theater on Facebook, X, and Instagram (@rchickentheater) and now on Bluesky (@rchickentheater.bsky.social)
