Nothing says holiday cheer like spending time with the author of In Cold Blood (about the brutal murder of an entire family) and Breakfast At Tiffany’s (about a high-class hooker). But sometimes, Christmas traditions are re-imagined — like in A Truman Capote Christmas, which opens tonight at American Stage. This autobiographical story details the author’s childhood, in which he is sent from his comfortable, familiar home to live with the father he has never met. Along the way, Capote discovers the truth about his past, his father and Santa Claus. Not From Texas acoustic band accompanies the show. (Pictured: the author with his father) Nov. 23-30, 7:30 p.m. Sun.-Mon., 8 p.m. Weds. and Fri.-Sat., American Stage, 163 Third St. N., St. Petersburg, “pay what you can” admission, americanstage.org. – Franki Weddington
This article appears in Nov 18-24, 2009.