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 
)
The John Archibald of your acquaintance must be a different John Archibald of my acquaintance. My John Archibald does live in Florida...St. Petersburg, I believe. He moved there from San Diego a few years ago. He is, and has been most of his life, involved in theater...but on a community level I think.
That's him! I also visited him in August 2020 in St. Petersburg, met him in Tampa - while I was in Miami.
He worked as a home medical care worker in California for many years. This was an Equity contract here. A huge beautiful theater, which had a different name, but is now the Suncoast.
