LOS ANGELES -- Alias Santa Claus, the Santa Monica Playhouse's family theatre musical production, will return to the Playhouse Dec. 5 for a two-week run. Performances are weekend afternoons at 1 & 3 PM.

Alias Santa Claus is written and directed by Chris DeCarlo and Evelyn Rudie. Previous productions have been seen not only at the Playhouse but in various venues all over southern California.

The story introduces Nick, "a jolly, bearded stranger who visits the Matthews family one cold and blustery Christmas eve in the late 1800s. The Little-House-On-the-Prairie-type family learns some very important lessons from old Nick, and share the warmth of family togetherness in return, ultimately giving him the season to continue with his job for at least one more Yuletide season," a company release stated.

The show features members of the Playhouse Young Professional Company, including Juliet Berman, Margaret Boyle, Alex Nicolaou and Leslie Rutberg, joined by James Cooper, Cheryl Jennings, Cydne Moore and John Waroff as "Nick."

For information call (310) 394-9779 ext. 2. -- By Willard Manus
Southern California Correspondent