Black Santa by David Beardsley

A request for the holiday party disrupts a company's Social Committee meeting.
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Black Santa

Recommended by

  • Tom Erb:
    25 Apr. 2024
    “ In "Black Santa," David Beardsley tackles white privilege and unconscious bias within a company's Social Committee. The request for a Black Santa Claus at a holiday party exposes underlying racial tensions. With compelling characters and a contemporary workplace setting, the play prompts reflection on diversity, inclusion, and personal biases. Very well written. ”
  • John Busser:
    26 Mar. 2022
    “ Wow, there's an uncomfortable feeling running through all this and a large part is David Beardsley's knack for making these characters having a point of view that in their minds is completely understandable. No one comes across as a cardboard villain or virtuous hero. They sound like real people here. And that's what makes it uncomfortable. No one here is going to be completely pleased with the outcome. Just like in real life. I thought this was terrific. ”
  • Andrew Martineau:
    30 Oct. 2021
    “ I was drawn to this play by the title, and I was thoroughly engaged by the subtleties of the conflict. This is such a relevant issue with so many complaints these days about there being a "war on Christmas" by just using the word "holiday" in office and school celebrations. The upsetting, implicit biases that Marvin faces from his coworkers is countered by his sincere story of his dad as his own "G.I. Joe" and the tragic circumstances that Marvin had to face. It is a stunning story that never feels forced. Wonderfully written piece. ”
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Character Information

1 black man, 1 woman of color (not black), 1 white woman, 1 white man.

  • Marvin
    50s,
    Black
    ,
    he/him
    Marvin has been through this before. He's not optimistic about getting what he wants, but he's not without hope either. He's prepared, maybe over-prepared. He's friendly with Sue, but he doesn't know the others that well. He's also not in many meetings, and not completely at ease in a meeting room setting.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      40s, 50s, 60s, 70s+
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American
    • Gender: 
      Male, Non-binary
  • Jan
    50s,
    White
    ,
    She/her
    She's not a powerful person in this company. The Social Committee is the one place where she's in charge. She takes that fact seriously and seeks to protect her authority in this particular room.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      40s, 50s, 60s, 70s+
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      White
    • Gender: 
      Female, Non-binary
  • John
    30s,
    White
    ,
    Male
    The actor playing John should be younger than Marvin and Jan. John has that confidence, bordering on cluelessness, that results from white, male privilege. He's never experienced a situation where he felt like an outsider. It could be easy to play John's character for laughs, to depict his cluelessness and insenstivity as cliche or trope. Avoid doing so. Embrace obvious humor in his lines, but go for uncomfortable laughter. Make him nice, credulous, earnest.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s, 40s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      White
    • Gender: 
      Male, Non-binary
  • Sue
    20s or 30s,
    Of color. Any race except black.
    ,
    She/her
    The youngest person in the room. She's idealistic and opinionated. While she won't back down from a fight, she has to be pushed a little first. Confrontation is not her first instinct, but if you make her go there, she'll go there.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Asian, Pacific Islander, or Asian American, Indigenous, First Nation, or Native American, Latinx/o/a or Hispanic, Middle Eastern, North African, or Arab American, Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, South Asian or South Asian American
    • Gender: 
      Female, Non-binary

Development History

  • Reading
    ,
    Fusion New Works Festival: The Second Seven (Albuquerque, NM)
    ,
    2019
  • Workshop
    ,
    Association for Theater in Higher Education (ATHE) New Play Development Workshop (Orlando, FL)
    ,
    2019

Production History

  • Community Theater
    ,
    CDC Theatre (Cranford, NJ)
    ,
    2020
  • Community Theater
    ,
    Playwrights' Platform Festival of New Plays (Boston, MA)
    ,
    2019