In 2005, Beelner and his wife Crystal adopted a baby Victoria ("Vica" for short). They are expecting another child in March 2007. (Submitted photo) [Click to enlarge]

Aaron Beelner may be small in stature but he sure has some mighty big dreams.

The Remsen native will play a featured role in NBC's all new, live-action musical-comedy version of the classic Christmas tale, "The Year Without A Santa Claus," Monday night.

"I remember watching the original Rankin-Bass stop-motion animation version of the story on TV back when I was a kid," recalls the 32-year-old St. Mary's Catholic High School graduate.

"Mickey Rooney did the voice of Santa Claus," he says, "and I watched it every year. So it's really cool be a part of the remake."

In this update, John Goodman plays the part of Saint Nick. Only Santa's been going through one heckuva midlife crisis.

You see the jolly old dude isn't feeling quite so jolly because of all of the crass commercialization going around the yule time. In fact, Santa would rather chuck it all, retire and live out his twilight year in a condo in Boca.

"(Santa's) at a time in life when you are used to doing things in a certain way," John Goodman told the Associated Press, "and you feel like the world is passing you by. But Santa finds he still has something to fight for, so he makes it through one more Christmas."

Beelner can probably identify with fighting for one's passion. As a little person in the acting community, he realizes the types of roles offered to him are quite limited.

"Once Aaron sets his mind to do something, he does it," offers Beelner's mom Audrey. "There's no two ways about it."

That's why Beelner is so proud of his work in "The Year Without A Santa Claus."

"Aaron plays the part of a fight announcer in a prize fight sequence," Audrey explains. "The part doesn't necessarily call for a little person but he was cast regardless of his size."

"In fact, Aaron calls this his 'non-stereotypical dwarf' breakthrough role," she smiles. "The barriers are starting to crumble just a little bit."

Although he shares scenes with such Hollywood heavyweights as John Goodman in NBC's "The Year Without a Santa Claus," Aaron Beelner calls a different seasonal tale to be his shining moment: playing the role of Ebeneezer Scrooge in a University of Georgia production of Dickens' "A Christmas Carol." (Submitted photo) [Click to enlarge]

Beelner plays scenes opposite Goodman, as well as with veteran actors and wannabee pugilists Harvey Fierstein (as the Heat Miser) and Michael McKean (as the Snow Miser).

"The scene only lasts five or six minutes," he laughs, "but it took us two whole days to film it."

The down time gave Beelner plenty of time to bond with his co-stars.

"John Goodman was so much fun to be around," Beelner enthuses. "We hit it off right away. It seems that his old college buddy was my advisor when I was going for my Master of Fine Arts degree at the University of Georgia."

"Small world, huh?" he smiles.

Beelner also shared dinner breaks with scene mates Fierstein and McKean.

"Harvey was funny and flamboyant and really out there," he laughs, "and Michael was much more reserved and surprisingly witty."

"They made quite a team," Beelner chuckles at the memory.

The best part of shooting the movie?

"I got my own trailer," he laughs. "I was only on set for a few days but when I was there, I got my own trailer. That was cool."

"I felt like a star!" Beelner kids.

Well, Beelner was obviously in good company as the movie has a long roster of notable names. It includes Delta Burke, Carol Kane, "Saturday Night Live" alumnus Chris Kattan, comedian Eddie Griffin, and "My Name Is Earl"'s Ethan Suplee.

For camp value, the movie also contains cameos from "Queer Eye"'s Carson Kreesley (as a an Elf Costumer) and octogenarian exercise guru Jack LaLanne (as Hercules).

"Yup, it was a pretty eclectic cast," Beelner agrees.

Beelner knows his own career, thus far, has also been pretty eclectic.

"I toured with the Radio City Music Hall's 'Annual Christmas Show' for three years," he explains. "I played one of Santa's elves."

"Aaron always felt sorry for the Radio City Rockettes," Audrey mentions. "He'd say: 'Ma, these poor girls have all of these eighteen-minute tap routines!' He didn't know how they could keep up that momentum for so long."

"Leave it to Aaron to empathize with a Rockette," she laughs.

But Beelner's breakthrough came from a very different Christmas story.

"I got the opportunity to play the part of Ebeneezer Scrooge in a production of Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol,'" he says. "In fact, it was part of my master's thesis."

"Now, that's a part any actor would love to play, regardless of size," Beelner admits. "And the UGA faculty said my performance as Scrooge and our production of 'A Christmas Carol' was one of the best they'd ever seen."

"That's always nice to hear," he says modestly.

One gets the impression that Beelner prefers spending time in the classroom than on a movie set or in front of a packed house.

"I love the theater but I know I wouldn't want to become an actor full-time," he confesses. "There are too many pitfalls and not enough benefits."

"It certainly isn't the type of lifestyle you'd want if you had a family to think about," Beelner adds.

In 2005, the now Georgia-based Beelner and his attorney wife Crystal decided to adopt a baby from Russia.

"Her real name is Victoria but we call her 'Vica' for short," he mentions proudly, "and, yes, she's a handful."

A year after the arrival of Vica, The Beelners discovered that Crystal was pregnant.

"She's due in March of 2007," he explains. "Wow! Things have been happening pretty quickly!"

But before his baby is born, Beelner will begin a new chapter in his life.

"Beginning in January, I'll be teaching drama to middle school students," he says happily. "I've had so many teachers who have influenced me so much over the years that I just want to give something back to the arts."

"I know once you set your mind to do something," Beelner adds, "nothing is impossible."

NBC's new production of "The Year Without A Santa Claus," featuring Remsen native Aaron Beelner can be seen at 8 p.m., Monday, Dec. 11, on KTIV-TV, Channel 4.