I was surprised reading in John Archibald's bio how MANY plays he'd been in, and he just as it happened had never before this been offered an Equity job in a musical [before he had turned to a career in being a home medical helper]. The combining of the roles had a nice effect that at the curtain call, we never had that "should we boo the villain" moment for the mean boss (or is the boss just wacko?), since John took his bow as Santa.
He seemed to really enjoy posing for pictures with kids - and some adults who asked - as Santa after the show.
One of the show's costuming secrets was that he kept his mean boss outfit on under the Santa suit, and it became part of the padding since John is not really heavy at all. One quick change looks like it had to be a trick, but he said they're all geared up for that change. (the day I saw it, though, they forgot to hand him a prop really needed for his scene as Santa - but of course they got it to him, or the scene wouldn't have gone on
)
