The University Theatre at Kansas University continues its season with two intriguing one-act plays that present an eccentric introduction to the holiday season.

“Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All for You” takes a humorous and sometimes disturbing look at some of the basic tenets of Catholic dogma in the form of a lecture given by the Sister, played by Lauren Marshall. Using a naÃive little boy, Thomas (Katie Oberthaler), pictures of the universe and cookies, Sister Mary parodies the experience of a traditional Catholic education.

Marshall’s caricature of a traditional nun continually makes the audience laugh, especially as the plot veers from somewhat conventional to absurd when she is joined by several previous students (who aren’t exactly the apples of the Sister’s eye).

Tosin Morohunfola brings a great energy to the stage as Gary Sullivan, one of the more well-adjusted of the bunch. His ability to straight-play the bizarre interactions between himself and Sister Mary Ignatius brings out the humor in the show.

The second one-act play, “The SantaLand Diaries,” follows the experiences of a 33-year-old Macy’s SantaLand Elf during the Christmas holiday. Adam Burnett’s performance as David Sedaris would make even the nastiest Scrooge chuckle, presenting a show that seemed more like stand-up comedy than a play.

As the sole onstage performer, he carries this well-written show on very capable shoulders. Burnett interacts adeptly with the audience and uses the set, props and costumes to his full advantage as he recounts his life as Crumpet, his elf persona.

Julia Clarke directed both one-acts and has a skilled grasp of comedy. The humor in “The SantaLand Diaries” emerges effortlessly in both the acting and the details of the show. However, “Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It To You” seems to dangle in the gray area between satire and drama, taking away from the intended ridiculousness of the script. The heart of the show rests with the absolute ludicrous nature of the material, and at times, the directing brought too much reality into the performance.