One Christmas Eve at Evergreen Mall - A Glimpse into the Lives of our Fellow Man

“One Christmas Eve at Evergreen Mall” closes out the 2025 season at the Lofte, making it the final show of our 49th season. With a cast of 22 actors, this is no small production! The show takes you to a still-thriving shopping mall on Christmas Eve and shows you some of the people who are there. Some people are caught doing last-minute shopping, others are making friends and finding love, others are arguing, others are grieving, and others are just trying to get through the season. No matter your feelings about Christmas, there is something for everyone and a story you can relate to. With this in mind, we reached out to the cast of the show and asked how they feel about the holidays and whether their feelings are similar or different from their characters’. Read on to see what our actors had to say, and see some fun holiday traditions and experiences that they enjoy! 

A new face on the Lofte stage, Lizzy Diamond, will be playing the character of Jenny, who is too busy trying to ace her finals to worry about Christmas right now! But Lizzy has different feelings. “I never let studying for finals get in the way of my Christmas season excitement,” Lizzy says. “However, I have worked every Black Friday for the last 6 years. It’s actually not as out of control as you might think!”

The character of Sharon is played by Chris Werger. Sharon usually loves Christmas, but not this year. She was up for a promotion that she didn’t get, and she was counting on that Christmas bonus to buy everything on her grandkids’ lists, and now she has to work on Christmas Eve. Because of that, she has to adjust her Christmas plans, and that’s difficult for her. Chris, like her character Sharon, also loves Christmas and loves spending it with her family. “All of the excitement of decorating and baking and singing Christmas carols (off key, of course), I just love it.” Chris usually tries to have her shopping done by December 1st, so she can spend the rest of the month enjoying the season. 

Jeanne Saadi plays Joellen, who, like many moms during the holidays, feels overwhelmed but is trying her hardest to help her daughter, Abbie, navigate the challenges of a new family dynamic, as Joellen and her husband are now separated. Joellen appreciates traditions, but is looking forward to making new ones this year, as she reinvents herself. Jeanne, like her character Joellen, appreciates traditions. When she and her sisters were teenagers, the whole family was very busy around the holidays, so there was no big Christmas Eve fancy meal before their evening church service. Jeanne says, “The only restaurant open around us was Burger King, so our Christmas Eve tradition was to eat there. I still seek out a ‘BK’ to this day for Christmas Eve dinner!” 

Rebekah Petersen plays Abbie, Joellen’s daughter. Abbie feels that Christmas is an important part of her family’s traditions, but she is struggling with the shift in the family dynamics and her parents' separation. Rebeckah says, “I think Abbie is a very sentimental person, and she cherishes the holidays because of this. She sees the holidays as a safe space where people surround each other with love. I relate to Abbie as I prefer to spend the holidays with people I love and show them how much I care about them.” 

A character who is more ambivalent about Christmas is Matthew, who is played by Stan Tracey. Matthew is caught between memories of Christmas past and his hopes for the future, torn between them as he struggles to honor his late first wife, Ellen, while trying to move forward with his new wife, Molly. “I suspect that Matthew and Molly adopt some of the same traditions that he and Ellen followed,” Stan says, “but they will find their own traditions as well.” He suspects many people will relate to this story and that it will resonate with them, as loss and grief can be so difficult around the holidays.

Taylor, played by Danielle Thies, absolutely lights up around Christmas time. Danielle says, “Taylor is the type who can’t help helping, so the holidays are very special to her. It’s an excuse to come home, see familiar faces, and soak up all the joy. For her, the season is a perfect blend of giving, gathering, and a little bit of sentimental sparkle.” And Danielle can absolutely relate! “When I lived far away from friends and family, getting home for the holidays felt essential. I also love that the season brings out the best in people. It’s when I find that I want to do more myself - volunteer more, donate, and support causes that matter.” 

Jon R. Kruse plays Andy, who can’t wait for Christmas to be over! 

New Born-in-a-Barn player Nate Padilla is playing Todd, who is a casual Christmas fan. The character of Todd enjoys the festivities, ugly sweater parties, ice skating, and tree lightings. But this Christmas, he is on a mission and will go to extreme measures to accomplish it. Nate, however, has other feelings. “I’m more of a Halloween guy.” He says, “I don’t hate Christmas, but this time of year I can be a bit of a Grinch. I even have a Grinch tattoo!” However, Nate does still try to get into the spirit. “I never look at people’s Christmas lists,” he says. “I always try to get something that’s outside the box, but I know that they’ll love. I try to give real surprises, to keep the Christmas magic alive.”

Gary Dunker, a newcomer to the Lofte stage, plays Gerald, who absolutely loves Christmas. “And so do I!” says Gary. “And I pray that you have a very Merry Christmas!” 

Evan Dunker, Gary’s real-life grandson, is playing Terry. Terry has a bit of a love-hate relationship with Christmas, as he works in retail. Evan says, “I personally love the holidays. Just spending time with family, giving gifts, and all the cool lights just make this time of year special.” 

And finally, an actor playing an actor - Bill Bossman plays the role of Stephen, who has the role of Jacob Marley in the local production of A Christmas Carol. Bill says, “Stephen is a rather conceited actor who doesn’t seem to know what Christmas is all about.” Bill, however, has different feelings. “I have always loved Christmas and the message the angels brought to the shepherds on the first Christmas Eve.” Bill recounts one Christmas morning when his family was traveling and stopped for gas at an interstate truck stop. Inside, he  found a middle-aged couple doing their Christmas shopping and debating whether to get “Beth and Larry the red wine or the white wine.” He still wonders how they got themselves into a pickle of buying Christmas presents at a truck stop on Christmas morning. 

When asked if they had anything they’d like to share with the audience, here is what our performers had to say: 

Bill gives a peek into what you can expect: “Do you remember the fun of sitting in the center court of a large shopping mall and just watching all the people go by? Did you ever pick up on little snippets of conversations and try to imagine who those people were and what their lives were like? When you attend “One Christmas Eve at Evergreen Mall,” you will get to live out those fantasies!” 

Evan hopes the audience has a great time watching the show! 

Chris is “so glad to be surrounded by talented and friendly people.” And wishes everyone a merry and bright Christmas this year!

Lizzy encourages everyone to come see the show! “With so many different story lines, everyone can find something that resonates!” 

Jeanne says, “I don’t think I’ve ever been involved with a production where I can truly say there is something for everyone. And I love how the vignettes fit together seamlessly. The cast Kevin has put together has so much talent - I just hope everyone enjoys the experience as much as I have!” 

Rebekah adds, “This play is important because I think it’s necessary to acknowledge the hardships that still go on during the holidays. This play does that in a very comforting way.” 

Danielle has been telling everyone that this show is packed with truly wonderful scenes. “You’ll laugh plenty, but it’s also filled with those bittersweet moments that hit close to home. This time of year is a perfect moment to forgive, let go of old grudges, lend a hand to those with less, and above all, be kind and patient. Spread cheer, offer compassion, and choose joy whenever you can.” 

Nate says, “Maybe Christmas doesn’t come from a store,” quoting the Grinch, of course, “perhaps Christmas means just a little bit more…” 

See “One Christmas Eve at Evergreen Mall” at the Lofte Community Theatre. Performance dates are December 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21. Tickets can be purchased at lofte.org/tickets or by calling our box office at 402-234-2553. Shows start at 7:00 on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and 2:00 on Sundays. The concession stand will open 1 hour before the show starts, and the house will be open for seating at this time as well. We hope to see you there!