With “Tuna,” Kechi Playhouse presents its first Christmas show in December

Kechi Playhouse’s production of “Tuna Christmas,” opening next week, represents several firsts.

It’s the first time the company has done a Christmas show in December in its 39-year history; the first time the rehearsal process is taking seven weeks instead of four; and the first time Kechi Playhouse owner-producer Misty Maynard has brought on a co-director, according to Heather Johnson, who has taken half of the reins.

“Tuna Christmas” is a sequel to “Greater Tuna,” where a script for two actors turns them into dozens of characters — young and old, male and female — in a small Texas town.

For Kechi Playhouse, three actors — Lyle Valentine, Viviano Legorreta and Andrew Johnson — take on the 22 roles.

“From a character perspective, we’re all playing between six and nine characters,” Valentine said. “Making all of those completely different with voices and movements has been the challenge for me. And that starts before three of us are on stage.”

Valentine said he liked creating an array of characters.

“For me, that’s kind of my bread and butter,” he said. “The more diverse my character roles and my roster can be in a show, the better. I thrive in that chaotic, individual creation of each character.”

Legorreta was in a 2008 production of “Tuna Christmas” at Wichita Community Theatre but is playing completely different characters than he did 13 years ago.

“I don’t know if it was intentional or not,” he said of the casting. “For me it was like coming into it with familiarity and knowing how it works, and having done it before, but adding new colors to it. The first time I was trying to have more fun and this time I’m trying to find more humanity.”

The three actors have worked with each other in various combinations, most recently when Valentine directed Legorreta and Johnson (Heather Johnson’s husband) in “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)” for Kechi Playhouse.

“It’s kind of like a homecoming for all of us,” Heather Johnson said. “Misty has really given all four of us some of our biggest and best opportunities.”

Although she took directing classes in college, Heather Johnson said this was her first time directing a show, and so far, she’s enjoying it.

“Part of the problem with these guys is that sometimes I get so wrapped up in watching them that (I forget) I’m supposed to be doing something,” she said.

The additional time has helped a show like “Tuna Christmas,” she said.

“It’s given us a real chance to get into the minutia of these characters and fine-tune everything,” Johnson said. “In this show, the director needs to have that additional perspective of the guys on stage.”

“Tuna Christmas”

When: Dec. 1-19; 8 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays and 2:30 p.m. Sundays

Where: Kechi Playhouse, 100 E. Kechi Road (intersection of N. Oliver and 61st St.)

Tickets: $22, call 316-744-2152 for reservations