Briana J. Resa will star in Isaac Gómez’s The Night Shift Before Christmas

All you need to know about this holiday season's adult comedy

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Alley Theatre

December 2, 2024

Briana J. Resa
Briana J. Resa

The Adult Holiday Comedy is Packed with Humor and Heart, Set Right Here in H-Town 

Houston actor Briana J. Resa will star in Texas native playwright Isaac Gómez’s world premiere, The Night Shift Before Christmas. Directed by KJ Sanchez (American MariachiQuixote Nuevo), this adult holiday comedy will transform the Neuhaus Theatre into a local restaurant as Margot works the graveyard shift on Christmas Eve. Due to popular demand, The Night Shift Before Christmas extended its run by five performances, now running through December 29.

“Isaac Gómez had the brilliant idea to create The Night Shift Before Christmas to highlight the many mom and pop restaurants that make Houston great,” said Alley Artistic Director Rob Melrose. “Of course, I’m delighted that the play so beautifully mirrors our version of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol! This Christmas Carol, however, is Houston’s Christmas Carol. This is more adult, so I hope you enjoy sweet cocktails and salty language because this is definitely not Dickens’ story, it’s Isaac’s story and our story.”

“The Night Shift Before Christmas’ is my love letter to Houston, and to every single person who has ever had to work a job in food or retail during the holiday season,” shares playwright Isaac Gómez. “I wanted to write something in conversation with Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol for the modern-day audience — something that will make you laugh, cry, and run out of the theater to call your loved ones. And, of course, I wanted to write something uniquely Texas as a born and bred Texan myself.”

Briana J. Resa (American Mariachi72 miles to go…) will star as Margot in this one-woman show with Elissa Cueller (American Mariachi) as her understudy.

The creative team includes Scenic & Lighting Designer Kevin Rigdon, Costume Designer David Arevalo, Sound Designer Kathy Ruvuna, Music Director Jack Beetle, Voice & Dialect Coach Micha Espinosa, and Stage Manager Kaylee Sarton McCray.


The Night Shift Before Christmas runs December 5 – December 29!

Una Comedia Navideña para Adultos Llena de Humor, Corazón y el Sabor de H-Town

La reconocida actriz de Houston Briana J. Resa protagoniza el estreno mundial de The Night Shift Before Christmas, escrita por el aclamado dramaturgo texano Isaac Gómez. Dirigida por KJ Sanchez (American Mariachi, Quixote Nuevo), esta atrevida comedia navideña convierte el Neuhaus Theatre en un restaurante local, donde Margot enfrenta el caos, las risas y las lecciones inesperadas mientras trabaja el turno nocturno en Nochebuena. Gracias al entusiasmo del público, The Night Shift Before Christmas añade cinco funciones adicionales y estará en cartelera hasta el 29 de diciembre.

“Isaac Gómez tuvo la brillante idea de crear The Night Shift Before Christmas para resaltar los muchos restaurantes familiares que hacen de Houston un lugar especial,” celebra Rob Melrose, Director Artístico del Alley. “Por supuesto, me encanta que la obra refleje tan bellamente nuestra versión de A Christmas Carol de Charles Dickens. Sin embargo, este A Christmas Carol es el de Houston. Es más adulto, así que espero que disfruten de cócteles dulces y lenguaje atrevido, porque esta definitivamente no es la historia de Dickens, es la historia de Isaac y nuestra historia.”

The Night Shift Before Christmas es mi carta de amor a Houston y a cada persona que alguna vez ha tenido que trabajar en un restaurante o tienda durante la temporada navideña”, comparte el dramaturgo Isaac Gómez. “Quería escribir algo en diálogo con A Christmas Carol de Charles Dickens para una audiencia moderna: algo que te haga reír, llorar y salir corriendo del teatro para llamar a tus seres queridos. Y, por supuesto, quería escribir algo único de Texas, como el texano nacido y criado que soy”.

Briana J. Resa (American Mariachi, 72 Miles to Go…) da vida a Margot en este dinámico espectáculo unipersonal, con Elissa Cueller (American Mariachi) como su suplente.

El equipo creativo reúne a talentos destacados como el diseño escénico y de iluminación por Kevin Rigdon, diseño de vestuario por David Arevalo, diseño de sonido por Kathy Ruvuna, dirección musical por Jack Beetle, coach de voz y dialecto por Micha Espinosa, y la dirección de escena por Kaylee Sarton McCray.

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