Chicago-based actor, playwright, and voice actor Dana Hall is bringing the Christmas spirit to the south suburbs through her self-written play, My Kind of Christmas.
“My Kind of Christmas is a love letter to the Midwest and the imperfect, yet deeply cherished traditions that define the holiday season,” Hall said. “It’s a celebration of community, family, and the beautiful chaos that comes with both. I hope audiences see a bit of their own holiday memories reflected in the play and leave with a warm heart and a smile.”
The inspiration for My Kind of Christmas came during an early 2023 Palos Village Players board meeting. At that meeting, the late president Len Wcislo and the board asked Hall if she could write an original holiday show. Initially, she declined, feeling the task was daunting due to the abundance of cherished holiday classics already in existence. However, that very night, a dream sparked the creation of the first scene of what would become My Kind of Christmas, and the rest was history.
Hall dedicated the play to the late Wcislo and her late father, Daniel Grube.
“The production team met for a wonderful reading of My Kind of Christmas recently,” Hall said. “As the team shared laughs and heartfelt moments together, it reminded me of the true magic of the holidays. It was heartwarming to hear everyone’s memories and traditions sparked by the show, along with the creative vision of the play. This production is full of heart, and I can’t wait to see it come to life on stage in my hometown.”
Hall, originally from Orland Park and now living in Burbank, IL, is an internationally acclaimed playwright with a passion for increasing representation for female actors and creating roles for those over 40. Her latest work, My Kind of Christmas, is a heartfelt tribute to the Palos Village Players, honoring its members, families, and the rich history of the beloved community theater.
Hall is a Lanford Wilson finalist, and the Theater Association of NYS (TANYS) awarded her Excellence in Playwriting. Hall was also a finalist for the Morecambe Fringe John Clarke Memorial Prize for scriptwriting, a finalist winner in the Hear Me Out Monologue Competition, and a finalist for the National Fellows Program for the Dramatists Guild Foundation. Her Edgar Allan Poe adaptation, Under the Floorboards, was named Outstanding Theatrical Adaptation by Gee-Rated Intertainment. Her self-performed original monologue won the Femuscript Monologue Contest. She won the Audience Choice Award in the Eclectic Theatre Patchwork Festival 2021.
“This upcoming production is an original work,” said Stephen Bell, director and vice president of the Palos Village Players. “The playwright is one of our own. I jumped at the opportunity to direct other amateurs in creating the beautiful love story that Dana Hall has written.”
Along with her many accomplishments, Hall takes pride in her work with the Palos Village Players. The Palos Village Players are a group of volunteers who provide community theater to the area. They hold monthly meetings for three productions a year.
The theater group originated in 1941 when a group of Palos Park friends gathered under the guidance of Zay Smith, who arranged evenings reading plays in their homes. This local pastime gained momentum, and soon the “Players” were performing amateur theater in church basements before moving to the Palos Park Recreation Center.
“The Palos Village Players were originally called ‘friends who liked to perform,’” Bell said. “I think that core value has continued to persist even 80 years later. The group is open to welcoming new talent both on stage and backstage.”
Bell, who attended DePaul University, has been a member of the Palos Village Players since 1987. At first, he was involved on stage but then gradually began helping with building, painting, and the production end. He eventually assisted in directing and producing, leading to a board position. In the last year, he has risen to the role of vice president.
“The board tries to choose attractive productions that reflect and utilize our talent resources,” Bell said. “We poll our audiences occasionally to get their input as to what they would like to see from our archive. We try to offer a varied season of drama, light comedy, farce, vintage, and musicals. Members sometimes pick and choose whether they want to pursue acting pathways or backstage positions, whether it’s for one show or all three.”
My Kind of Christmas will take place right at the tip of the Christmas season and will be performed five times over two weekends: November 15 and 16 and November 22 and 23 at 7:30 p.m., with a Sunday matinee on November 17 at 2:00 p.m. at the Palos Park Recreation Center, 8900 W. 123rd Street. Ticket prices are $24, with accommodations available for large groups, seniors, and children.