‘Greater Tuna’ a glimpse of Anywhere USA

Marion Robichaux
December 30, 2009
Jan. 5
January 4, 2010
Marion Robichaux
December 30, 2009
Jan. 5
January 4, 2010

Thibodaux Playhouse travels to Tuna, Texas – the Lone Star State’s third smallest town – for its latest production, “Greater Tuna.”


The small-town Southern comedy includes a host of quirky characters – played by Hahnville High School drama teacher Daniel Salvatura and Nicholls State University staffer Chris Buckel – with their colorful expressions and small-town values.


“This is a funny, funny show,” promises director Sheela Plater. “I have laughed more than I have ever laughed during rehearsals.”

Writers Jaston Williams, Joe Sears and Ed Howard capture the best and worst of small-town life. The two-man production includes a cast of 20 people – from psycho Stanley Bumiller, who is fresh from reform school and spends his days talking to a dead judge, gloating about how he killed him, to Didi Snavely, owner of Didi’s Used Weapons, whose motto is “If we can’t kill it, it’s immortal,” to Pearl Burras, who is addicted to killing dogs, and R.R. Snavely, a UFOlogist, town drunk and husband to Didi.


“The audience is going to get a slice of Americana in this small town,” Plater said. “They’re a little small minded and have definite opinions about people and their community. We can laugh at it, but there’s some truth behind the laughter. The town’s full of eccentrics, people we all have met in some form or another.”


Salvatura and Buckel are embracing the challenge of bringing the colorful denizens of “Greater Tuna’s” to the stage – in rapid fire. The duo undergo a steady stream of costume changes as the parade of folks that call Tuna home – men, women and children – come and go.

“You literally walk off stage and change (costumes) and become a different character,” Buckel said.

Plater said she was attracted to the production for its non-stop humor and the lesson it imparts.

“It’s really revealing about our human nature and how sometimes we can be insular,” she explained. “We feel like we have everything going for us and don’t need too many people coming into our world.

“‘Greater Tuna’ teaches that lesson – and it makes you chuckle,” Plater added. “You laugh because it is maybe so blatantly tight minded.”

“Greater Tuna” plays Jan. 15-16 and Jan. 21-23, with curtain times at 7:30 p.m. A 2 p.m. performance is scheduled for Jan. 24. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for students. Reservations are available at (985) 446-1896.

The Rev. Spikes (Chris Buckel), president of the Smut Snatchers of the New Order, speaks his mind to Vera Carp (Daniel Salatura), the town snob and vice president of the organization.