McCord paints paper with … paper
April 3, 2012
Thibodaux’s Last Call ushers in the party
April 3, 2012
Laughter is inevitable with Le Petit Theatre de Terrebonne’s final show of the season, “The Hallelujah Girls.”
“We had several good shows this year, including the successful drama ‘The Cover of Life,’ but this one is a lighthearted comedy so we can end the season with some laughs,” Director Reggie Pontiff says.
The story follows the lives of five spirited women in Eden Falls, Ga., who, after losing a dear friend, decide they can no longer wait to pursue their dreams.
Gathering after the funeral of their mutual friend, the women decide to spice up their lives, and over a year’s time the girls manage to get in and out of trouble.
“They realize time is precious,” Pontiff says. “But, it’s never too late to follow your dreams.”
This fun-loving Southern comedy takes place at SPA-DEE-DAH, an abandoned church-turned day spa where this group of friends gathers regularly on Friday afternoons.
The play centers on Sugar Lee Thompkins, played by Lorna Gianelloni-Farrar, the lively leader who is worried that life is passing by her and her friends too quickly.
When Sugar Lee gets the church and turns it into SPA-DEE-DAH, she sparks new life for her friends while also renewing a rivalry with Bunny Sutherland that has existed since they graduated in the same high-school class.
Bunny, played by Toni Hicks, wanted to buy the old church for a museum. Revenge-driven, Bunny brings in Bobby Dwayne Dillahunt, played by Bud Barnes, Sugar Lee’s high-school sweetheart and former fiancé, to upset her. Sugar Lee is forced to use Bobby’s repair talents to avoid being condemned by the city officials.
Carlene Hart Waldrep Mukewater Travis, played by Hope Theriot, has given up on romance, feeling like the “black widow,” after having buried three husbands.
Porter Padgett, played by Delvin Foret, is willing to risk dating Carlene, but his problem is breaking ties with another woman … his mother.
Nita Mooney, played by Lydia Courtney-Voigt, is a nervous wreck devoted to taking care of her difficult son.
Mavis Flowers, played by Stephanie Gomez, is the supportive friend whose stagnant marriage has her plotting ways to fake her own death.
“My character is the oldest and she has a lot of wisecracks,” Gomez says. “The characters all learn from one another.”
Crystal Hart, played by Sue Peace, entertains the group with her own quirky lyrics set to Christmas carol tunes. Younger sister of Carlene, Crystal has an outfit for every season.
Peace said her ditsy character is going to be a fun role.
“She has something for every holiday,” Peace says. “I’m going all out.”
This blissful comedy will induce lots of laughs as the group jumps hurdles and grows together.
“These are very comedic roles,” Peace says. “It’s about sisterhood and life and it is hilarious.”
Although the show has insight and meaning, it is not deeply and philosophically rooted.
“This is not profound theatre,” Gomez says. “This show will be for those who want to kick back, forget the world and laugh.”
Pontiff says the show is promising and that he’ll rely on experienced actors to make up for short rehearsal time – the cast wasn’t able to practice together until late March.
“This is a veteran cast,” Pontiff says of his fourth Le Petit Theatre directing gig. “They are all talented and I’m very excited to work with them.”
Linda Schexnayder produces the show, Joel Waldron coordinates the set and Jeanne Scott manages lights and sound.
The Le Petit Theatre 2011-12 season kicked off with “Scream Queens” in July, when six voluptuous B-movie horror queens reunited in a hotel ballroom to revive their fading acting careers by presenting a musical revue for their fans at a science fiction and horror convention.
“Yankee Tavern” followed in September inside the walls of a crumbling New York tavern, where a young couple found themselves caught up in the midst of a 9/11 conspiracy theory.
In November, “Comic Potential” featured a director and two assistants on a futuristic set of a daytime soap opera. The stars had been replaced with actoids, robots programmed to act. A romance sparked between an aspiring director and an actoid, who became more human by the minute.
Most recently, “The Cover of Life” finished in March 2012 with Tood, Weetsie and Sybill, brides in rural Louisiana in 1943. Each married a Cliffert brother who went off to war and a local news story piqued the interest of Life Magazine. Kate Miller viewed a “women’s piece” as a career set back, but accepted the job because it would be her first cover story. Southern charm and Kate’s haughty urban attitude gave way to the ultimate realization of a man’s world.
“In a community theater, most of us have a day job,” Gomez says while comparing community theater to professional companies. “We take it seriously though because we love what we do.”
– Kami Ellender is a freelance writer.
Lydia Courtney-Voigt (Nita Mooney) receives a manicure from Hope Theriot (Carlene Travis) while Lorna Gianelloni-Farrar (Sugar Lee Thompkins) exchanges friendly banter. Also pictured is Toni Hicks as Bunny Sutherland. “Hallelujah Girls” runs from April 26 to May 6 at Le Petit Theatre de Terrebonne.
