As you go over the hills and through the woods, to grandmother’s house you think, “I’m so excited for the Christmas Eve Family Dinner. I can’t wait to see all my relatives”. Said no one… ever!

More likely you’re thinking… “Can’t wait for Dad to tell me I’m going nowhere in my career? How quickly will Mom mention the ten pounds I gained this year? And will Aunt Carol, who’s had five failed marriages, sarcastically ask me about my love life before or after dessert?”

So ask yourself, “If they weren’t your family, wouldn’t you just chop them into little pieces and feed them to some reindeer?!”

Well, tonight might be your chance to do just that… whether you want to or not.

Welcome to Christmas Dinner at the Popes. As dysfunctional and tension causing as your family’s holiday celebration. Except tonight something is different. Tonight, for some unknown reason, everyone decides to say what they think about each other. What they REALLY think about each other. All the ugly truths they’ve been hiding for years start splattering the table, like spoiled gravy. It isn’t long until saying what you want to, becomes doing what you want to…

Always wanted to kill your uncle for his racist remarks? Go ahead, do it. Make your little brother eat his words, or his own tongue? You outweigh him, go for it. Wanted to dismember mom or dad for questioning your life choices when they’ve made the exact same choices? Just let them try and stop you.

Secret Santa lays bare all the false veneers we hide behind and shows who we really are beneath it… vicious, murderous, sick and twisted.

Brought to you by the people behind Jason Goes to Hell – The Final Friday, Texas Chainsaw 3D and From Dusk to Dawn. Secret Santa is a wild, horrific, terrifying and oft times hysterical look at the base instincts we all hide from each other.

Go ahead, join us for Christmas dinner... if you dare.

movie stills

behind the scenes

the filmmakers

the cast

skeleton crew

Several years ago, writer/director Adam Marcus, writer/actress Debra Sullivan and producer Bryan Sexton were sitting on the set of a studio movie they were all working on and pondered the question, “Why aren’t there any more Roger Corman’s out there”? Back when filmmakers were creative kings, they had a chance to work out the kinks of their art on lower budgeted, smartly produced movies. Oh sure, the talent had to be there, but gifted filmmakers still had to have a chance to be molded into the Coppolas, the Scorseses or the Demmes. You don’t start with “The Godfather” or “Mean Streets”. You start with “Dementia 13” or “Crazy Mama”.

And what about cast? There was a time when the unknown Tom Hankses and Sandra Bullocks of the world, got jobs in little films, usually horror movies or romantic comedies, where they could get the screen time needed to eventually become household names. Now, most independent films have Oscar winners in supporting roles.

Well someone had to do something. So to that end…

The Skeleton Crew was formed! Sullivan, Sexton & Marcus have created a company where filmmakers and artists can find their voices and tell stories that inspire. Allowing creative ideas to come to life by limiting the excess of most filmmaking endeavors. Allowing new talent to rise in a safe space where learning one’s craft is supported and nourished. A place where undiscovered talent could do their dream job and make their movie.

And with that, they are joined by Skeleton Crew TheatreWorks. Like the legendary Mercury Theater, Marcus has assembled a troop of remarkable actors who now get an opportunity to do the kind of work they’ve trained their whole lives to do.

Alongside a roster of brilliant behind the scenes artists, Skeleton Crew Productions is ready to create stories for a worldwide audience with a full slate from three separate divisions, Big budget, Micro budget and Television.

With everything from Historical Drama to Horror to Comedy to Thrillers, the team has found brilliant talent to cover a gamut of genres.

Sexton, Marcus and Sullivan oversea all projects, making sure the product is up to their standards, while giving filmmakers the opportunity to bring their vision to the screen, big and small.

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