5 questions with … Santa Claus

This has got to be the interview of the season. I was able to grab a quick 5 Questions with the Big Man himself, Santa Claus, who is appearing in Santa’s Magical Express at Yankee Trails in East Greenbush through Saturday.. I was so excited to ask my questions for the interview, I forgot to tell him what I want for Christmas. Oh well, that’s what next year is for.

QUESTION: So Santa, how did you get this gig with Yankee Trails?

ANSWER: Well, years ago I was contacted by this local Cap Dist Theater director, Michael Mensching, who was pulling together this show for Yankee Trails. He mentioned that several of my peers – Jack Frost, Frosty, my head Elf Winky, my old neighbor Scrooge and of course my Mrs. – had already agreed to be part of this new show he was developing with Yankee Trails.  It sounded festive, and now here I am a veteran of performing for thousands of kids a year.

Q: How long have you been doing it?

 A: I’ve been working this gig since 2012, for hundreds of shows where thousands of young elves in training have saved Christmas!

Q: What happens in Santa’s Magical Express and what do you do in the performance?

 A: Well, I can’t give away all of the secrets, but the main thing that happens is you come to Yankee Trails in East Greenbush, where you are sworn in as an elf, ride a festive holiday trolley through our fantastic light display (many lights from the former lights in Washington Park) and through a time-space snow tunnel are transported to Santa’s workshop in the North Pole! You visit with Santa, tell me what you’ve done to stay on the nice list all year and express your wish for Christmas gifts. We start your orientation, and let’s just say things happen involving Jack Frost that throw everything into a tizzy! Before you know it, you are traveling around the Capital Region, meeting characters from Christmas and trying to save Christmas!

 Q: You have a great deal of Capital Region elves. Can you tell me a little about the operation –  how many shows and how many patrons?

 A: Oh, my heavens, it has grown huge! We have over 60 elves helping us save Christmas! This year we will have 105 performances, including four low-cost and inclusive performances at Crossgates Mall that will deliver Christmas magic from Black Friday to Dec. 23. So far we’ve sold over 4,900 tickets this year and will easily crest over 5,000 by season end.

Q: You’ve had an enormous number of opportunities for appearances. What do you get out of SME that keeps you coming back?

 A: The magic of seeing Christmas through the eyes of children. I cannot explain the feeling you get when you can see the joy of Christmas shine through from all of the kids I encounter. It fuels me, gives me hope. Energizes me to try and do some good in this world. I am especially moved by the children I encounter that deal with disabilities or life challenges. Yet when they ask for presents, it is usually for me to provide something for others in their family or to make things better for a friend. You can learn a lot from spending time with children. Often parents thank me for visiting or for being kind and I say, “No, THANK YOU for sharing the joy of your children with me this time of year.”

Q: What is the play that changed Santa’s life, and how?

A: That’s a hard question, as Mrs. C and I actually spend all summer incognito visiting Broadway and London for theater shows! And locally in Albany, boy, are you blessed with such great theater coming from all of the great local groups you have! We slip into your shows often. Of course, the recent local production of “Miracle on 34th Street” featured the best representation of me. That guy was awesome! But I will say that the play that changed my life was the first play I was ever in, as a student actor, the original production of my friend Will’s “Twelfth Night,” where I originated the role of Sir Toby Belch. One of the best ever!

Santa’s Magical Express runs through Saturday at Yankee Trails. For tickets, visit yankeetrails.com.