Larry Yando may inhabit the character of Scrooge in A Christmas Carol, but don’t confuse the man with the role. Offstage, the Andersonville actor is a thoughtful gift giver and a beloved teacher of drama. Ahead of his ninth Carol at the Goodman, running through December, Yando shares some favorites.
App I can’t live without
The Shakespeare app. It’s his complete works, in the original folio. I teach Shakespeare, so I use it if someone needs a monologue or wants to know where a line is from.
Secret obsession
Body products. People love to take showers at my house because there are 10 different things for every body part.
What I spend the most money on
Music downloads. I am music obsessed. My favorite recent album is Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly.
Favorite Chicago meal
Beef green curry from Indie Café on Broadway.
Best spot for holiday gifts
Aroma Workshop. I create custom scents and give them as presents. It feels personal and considerate.
Favorite Chicago landmark
The lakefront. I grew up going to the ocean, so I love the lack of architecture.
Hidden local gem
The Salvation Army on Oakton in Skokie. It’s brilliant. The people who bring their clothes there [see jacket pictured above] must be rich, British, and my size.
Fashion item I’ll never retire
A 1970s rust-colored bell-bottom suit. I’ve worn it to many occasions, and it always gets more press than me.
Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel
“The artwork is brilliant, the story is moving, and it surprised me how deep it cut.”
$15, Book Cellar, 4736 N. Lincoln Ave.
Body oils
“I’m big on smells, but I don’t love colognes—they make me sneeze.”
$6 to $28, Aroma Workshop, 2050 N. Halsted St.
Thera Cane massager
“It’s a fabulous way to alleviate anything that happened onstage: pulls, sprains, or tension.”
$40, theracane.com