They're Coming Home for Christmas!

From the desk of the Executive & Artistic Director of Stage Left Players

I've been watching the sign-ups come in for our upcoming original holiday production, Come Home for Christmas, and I have to tell you something. They're coming home!

Names are appearing on my screen that make me stop, smile, and remember. Some are our Stage Left Kids—all grown up now!

College graduates, young adults building their own lives, performers who haven't stepped onto our stage in years. And here they are, signing up to spend a little of their holiday season back where so many wonderful memories began. Others are familiar friends who have shared our stage over the years, ready to make a few more memories together.

As Executive and Artistic Director, I spend a lot of time thinking about what comes next for Stage Left Players. The next production. The next opportunity. The next generation of performers.

But sometimes, the greatest joy comes from seeing what has lasted. The friendships. The laughter. The memories made under those stage lights. The feeling of belonging to something special. And that's exactly what Come Home for Christmas is all about.

We're creating a holiday celebration filled with the Christmas moments we love to revisit year after year. Favorite holiday movies, unforgettable characters, wonderful Christmas music, and plenty of laughter—all wrapped up in one original Stage Left production.

Imagine a perfectly ordinary couple settling in for a quiet evening of Christmas movies.

Now imagine those movies refusing to stay on the television! Suddenly, their living room is filled with familiar faces, favorite songs, and a whole lot of Christmas chaos. It's a celebration of the stories we return to every December, the traditions we treasure, and the people who make the season special.

And perhaps the best part is that we're making room for people to enjoy the holidays offstage, too. We're planning a manageable rehearsal schedule because we know December is full of family, friends, traditions, and commitments.

Now, here's my invitation.

Our open auditions are Thursday, October 22, and there's still room for more people to join us!

If you've never performed at Stage Left, we'd love to meet you. Come prepared to sing a short selection from a favorite holiday song. If you're one of our returning performers, you don't need to audition—although you're certainly welcome to! We simply ask everyone interested in participating to complete our form, which also includes our proposed rehearsal calendar.

Performances: December 4–13, 2026Historic Trinity Playhouse | Lisbon, Ohio

🎄 Audition & Participation Form:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScwm7Ibn2UwFBVwqWsQ39xB9VLzwW2VdOZu1QHpIsqZFKkM2A/viewform?usp=header

I've always believed that a community theatre is about so much more than the shows we produce.

It's about the people who walk through our doors, the friendships that grow here, and the memories that bring us back. And right now, as I watch those familiar names appearing on my screen, I can't help but smile.

Because this Christmas, they're not just signing up for another show.

They're coming home.

See you at Stage Left! ❤️

Kandy Cleland

Executive & Artistic Director Stage Left Players

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