I was delighted to see The Signal highlight the Canyon Theatre Guild’s holiday production of “A Christmas Story.” CTG’s holiday shows are a Santa Clarita tradition, one that shaped my own childhood, but after attending this year’s performance, I felt compelled to share a concern your article could not show: This tradition is struggling, and it needs us now more than ever.
Every December when I come home for winter break, the CTG holiday show is the first thing I make time for. Long before I was college journalist, I was on that stage wearing costumes that never quite fit and delivering lines with all the dramatic flair a 10-year-old could muster. CTG is where I played Hong Kong Holly in “Lucky, Lucky Hudson,” a wicked stepsister co-counsel in “The Big Bad Musical,” and even a comedic Lord Capulet in “Romeo and Juliet.” Those roles were silly, but they were formative; they taught me confidence, community, and gave me a place to grow up.
CTG’s holiday shows used to be packed. Families filled the lobby, taking photos around the Christmas tree, stepping into a little world the theater created each season. This year, during “A Christmas Story,” the magic was still there, the cast was excellent, the set was charming, the theater was festive, but the seats were noticeably emptier. It felt like watching a tradition fade in real time.
Live theater everywhere is struggling. Screens dominate our attention, algorithms decide what we watch, and even the most talented performers compete with endless digital noise. Local theaters do not survive on passive views; they survive on people choosing to show up.
CTG is more than a building. It’s where shy kids find their voices, where families enjoy affordable performances, where teenagers discover passions they did not know they had, and where adults reconnect with creativity they had kept dormant for decades. It’s one of the last truly communal spaces in Santa Clarita.
If we want to keep that magic, that sense of togetherness and holiday joy, we have to support it. Buy the tickets and fill the seats. Show younger generations that the arts still matter.
This season, I hope more residents take time to see “A Christmas Story.” Make a night of it: dinner, the show, and a stroll down Main Street.
CTG has given so much to this community. It deserves for us to show up for it.
Ashley Evans
Castaic
