Holiday Folly
Everyone knows the straight story on Santa — belly like a bowlful of jelly, lives at the North Pole, fond of milk and cookies. This weekend, Café Noir Productions strips stereotypes from the twinkly-eyed totem in a new Forbidden X-mas revue. (This version is a fictional prequel to past holiday offerings from the Mad River Cabaret Troupe.) Forbidden chronicles a B-grade directing duo’s career as they cast the part of St. Nick in an all-singing, all-dancing musical. Funnily festive Footloose anthems, show tunes and seasonal novelty numbers such as “Santa Baby” send up both the present-toting big guy and the business of Broadway, with shades of Christopher Guest’s film comedies. Naughty or nice? You decide; the elves will help you make up your mind.

‘Forbidden X-mas 3’ , Friday and Saturday, November 23 & 24, Bundy Center for the Arts, Waitsfield, see calendar for various times. $20. Info, 496-4781. www.bundycfa.org