The return of “A Don’t Hug Me Christmas”
Award-winning musical comedy is back in Minneapolis after seven sold-out seasons
Photo courtesy of Phil Olson
The cast of A Don’t Hug Me Christmas Carol sure looks like a bunch of characters.
Special Release
Phil Olson
Back for its eighth year after seven years of sold-out performances, the award-winning musical comedy, A Don’t Hug Me Christmas Carol, is returning to the New Century Theatre, downtown Minneapolis, from November 28 through January 4.
A Don’t Hug Me Christmas Carol, one of the most popular holiday shows in Minneapolis for the past seven years, is a hilarious Minnesota spoof of Charles Dickens’s classic story, “A Christmas Carol.”
It’s Christmas Eve in Bunyan Bay, Minnesota, and cantankerous bar owner Gunner Johnson gets in an argument with his wife, Clara, tells her he’s skipping Christmas, storms out of the bar, goes snowmobiling across the lake, falls through the ice, and goes into a coma. He comes back in his dream, where he’s visited by folk legend Sven Yorgensen as the ghost of Christmas past, present, and future. Sven takes Gunner (Scrooge) on a journey similar to that in Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, only very different.
Featuring 17 original songs, including: “Gunner Fell Into an Ice Hole,” “The Wheel is Turnin’ but the Hamster is Dead,” “I Love You More Than Football,” “Grandma Cut the Christmas Cheese,” and more.
Phil Olson, playwright and Minnesota native, has written 13 published plays that have had over 300 productions around the world. The Don’t Hug Me musicals have played in 23 towns in Minnesota, making Minnesota the most popular state for the musicals. His newest musical, Don’t Hug Me, We’re Married, is currently playing in Los Angeles in its world premiere, as well as in Plainview, Minn., in the last production ever at the Jon Hassler Theater. His other plays published by Samuel French include, Don’t Hug Me, A Don’t Hug Me Country Fair, Don’t Hug Me I’m Pregnant, A Nice Family Gathering, Polyester the Musical, and Mom’s Gift. Phil has also sold two screenplays and script doctored three screenplays that were produced. Phil lives in Los Angeles, where he develops his musicals.
Paul Olson, M.D., music composer, graduated from the University of Minnesota Medical School, and is now a Nephrologist living in Chaska. Paul is Phil’s brother. Phil and Paul have written five Don’t Hug Me musicals together, and over 80 songs.
For more information, please visit www.DontHugMe.com or www.PhilOlson.com
This article originally appeared in the Nov. 14, 2014, issue of the Norwegian American Weekly. To subscribe, visit SUBSCRIBE or call us at (800) 305-0271.
