“The Santaland Diaries” closes out its run this week as the first show in the Players Inaugural winter season. Christmas fans and grinches alike will find the perfect cure for holiday madness in the side-splitting and irreverent play. Best-selling author David Sedaris chronicles his outlandish and truly misguided stint as “Crumpet” – one of Macy’s Santaland elves. It’s the most wonderful time of the year, if Crumpet can survive the bad Santas, naughty elves, cranky kids, and pushy parents. This brilliant behind-the-scenes send-up of everything we love and loathe about Christmas illuminates the insanity of the holidays, and the resilience of the human spirit.

The show plays Wednesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. with a matinee performance at 2 p.m. on Saturday. The production runtime is approximately 80 minutes without an intermission.

Single tickets are $39 and can be purchased online at www.peterboroughplayers.org or by calling the box office at 924-7585.

On Sunday at 1 p.m., the Peterborough Players will broadcast a performance of the Bolshoi Ballet’s spectacular production of “The Nutcracker,” the enchanting tale of young Marie and her nutcracker prince! Danced by the Bolshoi’s principals and staged by Russian ballet master Yuri Grigorovich, E.T.A. Hoffmann’s fairytale will transport children and adults alike to a world of magic and wonder for the holiday season. 

The ultra-high-resolution cinematography of the Arts on Screen series allows the audience to see every detail and feel as if they have been transported to New York, London or Moscow, while remaining in the comfort of the Players’ theater. In addition, the Dolby sound, custom designed for the site, offers breathtaking realism. For all the Arts on Screen programs, the audience is treated to exclusive interviews with singers, actors, dancers, directors, and designers –  it is an exclusive backstage pass to some of the greatest companies in the world, at a fraction of the cost of a live opera, ballet or theater ticket.

Runtime for “The Nutcracker” is approximately 2 hours, 15 minutes.

Bolshoi Ballet tickets are $20 and can be purchased by calling the box office at 924-7585 or online at www.peterboroughplayers.org.

The Peterborough Players theater is handicapped accessible, is equipped with a hearing assistance system and is located at 55 Hadley Rd, Peterborough, NH 03458