As an original cast member of Maverick Theater’s annual holiday production “Santa Claus Conquers the Martians,” Nathan Makaryk has a good share of comic bits he’s improvised over the years.
A few times he zoned in on an audience member in the front row for some jokes and eventually asked them if they wanted any food.
“And so I ordered them a pizza,” Makaryk said in a recent interview. “Then the pizza delivery person would show up usually around intermission, and I’d bring them on stage and they’d deliver the food to the person. Then I’d eat their pizza in front of them.”
Nathan Makaryk relishing the evil Martian role of Voldar in a showing of “Santa Claus Conquers the Martians,” a stage production based on a ’60s sci-fi film of the same name.
(Jessica Peralta)
A mixture of improvisation and scripted dialogue, based on the original 1964 sci-fi/comedy film of the same name, “Santa Claus Conquers the Martians” is in its 19th year at Fullerton’s Maverick Theater.
To say the production has developed an Orange County cult following for the holidays since being adapted to the stage by theater co-owner and director Brian Newell and local actor Nick McGee in 2006 is an understatement. The show debuted Thursday and every single performance through Dec. 24 has completely sold out.
“I needed a holiday show and remember seeing the film when I was a kid on KTLA channel 5’s ‘Family Film Festival,’” Newell recalled of the show’s inspiration. “Even at a young age, I knew it was a stinker of a film. The quality was so low budget and I couldn’t understand why Tom Hatten, the show’s host, was showing it.”
Newell said in 2006, when he was putting together his stage version of “Night of the Living Dead,” he discovered “Santa Claus Conquers the Martians” was public domain.
“I mentioned it to my friend, Nick McGee, and just hearing the title, he couldn’t stop laughing,” Newell said. “So together we adapted [it] into a stage script in just two weeks and opened it three weeks later. Nick really had the worst part because he had [to] endure watching the film over and over again while he transcribed dialogue.”
For the uninitiated, Newell describes what has now become a beloved local tradition as “a 90-minute ‘Saturday Night Live’ skit about Martians kidnapping Santa.”
Santa, played by Jamie Scheel, with Nathan Makaryk as Voldar, Patrick Heyn and Hailey Tweter star in “Santa Claus Conquers the Martians” at the Maverick Theater.
(Jessica Peralta)
Throughout its long run, the show has largely remained the same. What changes from year to year is the improv — and that depends on the audience. If most of the audience is returning, improv is significant.
“It’s rarely ever the same show each night,” Newell said.
Michael Geifman, of Lake Forest, agrees. He’s been going to see the show every year since the production first graced the Maverick’s stage.
“Every year it’s slightly different, but it’s always hilarious,” he said. “Some friends agree and we’ve made it a tradition. Plus, I like the shows that the Maverick puts on, and this is an easy and enjoyable way to support them.”
He said he often recognizes some of the other people in the audience from previous years.
Nathan Makaryk as the villainous Voldar, with Hailey Tweter (as Betty Foster) and Patrick Heyn (as Billy Foster) in “Santa Claus Conquers the Martians,” a sold-out hit at Fullerton’s Maverick Theater.
(Jessica Peralta)
“It’s just good, lighthearted fun,” Geifman said. “The actors seem to have a ton of fun, and the changes keep it fresh and interesting. Every year, there is a huge amount of laughter.”
Jodi Seidenberg, who also makes the journey from Lake Forest each year, said she saw the first presentation of the show and was hooked.
“[‘Santa Claus Conquers the Martians’] is silly, funny, good-natured entertainment, and real life is often challenging and stressful,” she said. “Going to enjoy a heartwarming production that makes you laugh out loud is the perfect antidote to the trials and tribulations of real life.”
Actor Makaryk, who’s portrayed nearly every male role in the show at some point, primarily performs as evil Martian Voldar. He is also co-founder of Improv Shmimprov, a comedy group that performs at the Maverick Theater.
“I kind of think of the Martians as puppets that want to do a good job, but they are easily distracted,” Makaryk said. “Anything that distracts them, they will obsess about that, and then kind of return to trying to do a good job. And so, I mean, clearly, it helps to have improv actors who are in those roles that are going to deviate, but it also helps to have actors who can get us back on track.”
He said the audience is mostly what drives the show.
“We vibe heavily off of the audiences,” he said. “Whatever the audience is bringing … their energy, what they react to, what they find is funny.”
If they have a quiet audience, the actors will lean more toward the script and improv less. But if the audience is engaged with the show or if they have seen the show before, things go more off-script.
“We’re going to be derailed, and that’s where we personally get to have more fun,” he said. “It’s the same plot, but every year something wild and stupid and new.”
Joe Sanders, who’s been in “Santa Claus Conquers the Martians” since 2012, plays the robot character, Torg — constructed from a large moving box, 5-gallon bucket, ducting heat shield, dryer duct arms and press-on lights.
“He doesn’t talk at all, which is cool,” he said. “But I can emote using my body and doing whatever. … You can tell if I’m angry or if I’m sad or if I’m funny.”
Torg has become pretty popular with audiences, which Sanders says may have something to do with his dance moves.
“He has become another crowd favorite of the show,” he said. “Torg has twerked. Torg has done the ‘Oppa Gangnam Style.’ Two years ago, I did the ‘M3GAN’ dance from the horror movie, which was fun.”
Becky Jones — now in her fourth year, portraying Lady Momar, Queen of Mars — says the performers laugh just as hard backstage as the patrons in the audience. That kind of comedic symbiosis may be why the show has developed such a cult following.
“We have patrons that come every year and some with multiple groups of friends and families. They come for the laughs and holiday cheer,” she said.
“It helps that the show is always a little different. But if we do our jobs right, at the end there is a feel good Hallmark holiday vibe that hits — to me, that’s the best part.”
While this year’s performances are sold out, those interested may email mavericktheater@gmail.com to be put on a waiting list and receive updates on future shows.