About Town: Mrs. Claus The Sequel: On the Town

Some might call it typecasting. I call it good fortune and a bit of coincidence. Yesterday I told you about being Mrs. Claus for the Crossroads Community Center holiday party. For the past month, I've also been Mrs. Claus in "'Twas The Night" at Studio East in Kirkland where I have some funny lines.

Similar characters, of course. I understand having a Mrs. Claus in both cases conveys a message about what families are and also answers little ones' questions about Santa's home life. But the other common themes are love and magic. Here's something that happened with Mrs. Claus and children following Sunday night's performance.

Mrs. Claus' gray, curly hair was left in the adult dressing room at the theater. I have straight, multi-colored, longish hair. While we joke about hat-head hair, you should see actors after we've worn wigs for three performances. Mine was pulled into a ponytail and topped with a pink baseball cap.

The red satin skirt and pinafore were left hanging on the costume rack. I had traded up – maybe down would be more accurate – for a pair of comfy khaki pants and black T-shirt. My fancy footwear was in my tote bag and my feet were happy-happy-happy in tennis shoes. I had wiped off most of my make-up.

My spouse – whose first name is not Santa – and I went to a nearby Mexican restaurant for dinner. Seated nearby were four young children, their parents and grandparents. I thought I recognized them as audience members. My husband, who was also at the show, confirmed that he, too, had seen the group at the theater.

I commented that I should go out to the car and get some candy canes from the box I had in my theater tote bag. Santa and I give the candy canes to families who pose for pictures with us after the show.

"It would be fun to tell the kids Santa sent the candy canes to them," I said.

About that time our bill came and we were caught up in gathering our gear to leave. My husband was on crutches because of his broken ankle. That's when I remembered I had stashed a couple candy canes in my coat pocket when I opened the box … but that had been the week before. Surely any candy canes in the pocket must have broken because I have a tendency to toss the rain jacket on the floor under a chair and put my purse on top.

Guess some of the holiday magic was working. I had exactly four candy canes in my coat pocket and all were in perfect condition.

By now the family group had finished dinner, and the children were quietly playing near the table while the adults were chatting. I stepped over to the mother and grandmother and handed them the candy.

"Tell the kids that Santa and Mrs. Claus from Studio East delivered these," I said.

As Mr. Grindeland, who is at least a half-foot shorter than Mr. Claus from the play, and I walked out, the grandfather was excitedly telling the kids Mrs. Claus had just delivered candy canes for them.

The kids came running to catch a glimpse of Mrs. Claus. They looked right at my husband and me but didn't see Santa or Mrs. Claus. Wouldn't it be nice if all holiday magic could be as easy?

Sherry Grindeland plays Mrs. Claus in Studio East's production of "'Twas the Night" which plays this weekend at 7 p.m. Dec. 17 and at 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Dec. 18 and 19 at Studio East, 11730 118th Ave. NE, Kirkland. All shows are sold out according to Studio East's ticket calendar, though wait lists are started an hour before the show.