Yeti, It's Cold Outside
Two yeti hunters arrive at an abandoned cabin in the middle of the mountains. They believe the legendary yeti will cross through this very spot this very night, Christmas Eve. Once they finish settling in, and laying out their assortment of yeti hunting tools, they go out into the wild for their first scouting expedition. Meanwhile, a family arrives at the cabin, completely exhausted from a Christmas vacation gone awry. Albert, the father, has dragged the family on this whirlwind trip but his incompetence has not only bleached all their clothes white, but has also gotten them stranded here in the middle of a blizzard. The children and their mother, Harper, have all but given up on a merry Christmas, but Albert insists that the trip can still be saved. He excitedly confides in Harper about his “grand finale,” which involves him dressing up as Santa Claus and sneaking back into the cabin. He discovers, to his despair, the Santa outfit has been bleached white along with all their other clothes. Harper insists that a ragged, white, furry costume would not bring the children a delightful Christmas experience, but Albert won’t be convinced. They are interrupted by the arrival of Clara, the desperately lonely and socially inept park ranger, who tries to convince them to come with her, spinning tales of dangerous criminals using the cabin as a hideout. Miscommunication, fright, and chaos unfold as mythological beasts and holiday traditions collide. About 75 minutes of fun and laughter.
Productions
Behind The Scenes
With K.S. Roberts
What inspired you to write this play?
The director of my local community theater, the Waxahachie Community Theatre, was remarking how there’s only a handful of really funny, appropriate holiday plays to choose from. She was struggling to find a show for the next coming Christmas. So, I offered to write a show within the next two months, and if she liked it, we could run it. That next Christmas, we were all a little surprised just how great the show turned out.
What's your favorite part or line in the play? Why?
My favorite part of the whole show is halfway through when the mother is telling the two yeti hunters about their family’s tragic Christmas trip, Kirk says he’s so sorry to hear that, pauses for a beat and pulls out his wallet and hands her a dollar. There’s no punchline. No explanation. Just Kirk being as nice as a socially awkward cryptid hunter can be. It gives him some unique characterization, while members of the audience just howl with laughter at the absurdity of it.
Where did the characters come from? Are they based on people you know?
Almost every character in the show reflects people I know in my daily life. I personally have more in common with Kirk, the lead yeti hunter, than I care to admit. Clara was a wonderful amalgamation of a number of idiosyncrasies and neuroses, but she was truly inspired by a fellow actress who carries the same energy and effervescence as the character.
What did you try to achieve with this play?
I wanted to create a Christmas show that was legitimately funny and exciting, while also being manageable for any size of theater to be able to produce. I wanted hijinx, excitement, spooky fun, just a little bit of everything for the season. More than anything, I wanted a show with heart. Our characters really care about each other and about the season. I really love Christmas and wanted a show that conveyed that love.
Do you have anything else you'd like to add?
It’s just such a pleasure to offer a piece of myself through this story. It’s an honor to know my words will be collaborating with actors and directors I’ve never had the pleasure of meeting. I’ve already seen how audiences love the show and I just hope the directors and actors have as much fun creating it as the audiences do watching it.