VALDOSTA — Theatre Guild Valdosta continues its season with a second, funny, ensemble comedy with “Dearly Beloved,” which opened this week.
The premise is it’s a wedding day for the daughter of Frankie, who wants the ceremony to be a romantic and dignified affair. That hope is dashed by the down-home catering approach of Frankie’s sister, Twink, the return of five-time divorced sister Honey Raye, and the disappearance of her bride-to-be daughter, while Frankie also worries about a medical concern and what appears to be her two-timing husband.
“Dearly Beloved” is a Southern comedy that is a bit of “Redneck Wedding” with enough charm to make some of the characters seem more like folks we may actually know rather than simply Southern caricatures. “Dearly Beloved” was written by playwrights Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope and Jamie Wooten, who also wrote the Southern ensemble comedy “Dearly Departed,” which followed a family through the funeral of its patriarch.
Jim Rinehart, who appeared as the lead in “Oklahoma,” makes the move from performing to directing with “Dearly Beloved.” He lets his cast have fun and keeps the action moving, presenting funny stuff from the first moment even into the curtain call. Though the characters are broad, they develop nuance, with no loss of humor, as the show progresses, becoming more like real people in the second act. Rinehart makes a fine directing debut with this comedy and its talented cast.
The cast is funny and each one is given several situations and lines to shine.
The cast is Sheila Brannick, Leah Queen, Michelle Gaines, Raynae Williams, Grant Brown, Patti Cook, Heather Ward-King, Derek Buchman, Ken Kinard, Phil Jones, Mary Helen Taylor. Gaines, Williams and Cook are fun as the Futrelle Sisters, once close siblings who performed as the gospel group The Sermonettes, but are now at odds with one another; each has a distinct personality and their performances complement each other.
They first built this sisterly rapport playing two sisters and a close friend in the recent “Sordid Lives.”
If you’ve ever been involved with a wedding, especially a family wedding, you will enjoy the humor of this show without all of the headaches of a real wedding.
This review is based on Wednesday night’s full dress-rehearsal performance.
Theatre Guild Valdosta’s “Dearly Beloved” continues at 8 p.m. today; 2:30 p.m. Sunday; 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Oct. 18, The Dosta Playhouse, 122 N. Ashley St. Ticket: $12. Reservations, more information: Call 24-STAGE.
Local News
Related Photos
-
Members of the cast from Theatre Guild Valdosta's 'Dearly Beloved' which opened this week. unknown
Discussion
'Dearly Beloved' funny
A play review
- Local News
-
-
Lake Park in Limbo
LAKE PARK — Lake Park citizens will have to wait several months before being able to attend another City Council meeting following Tuesday’s resignation of two council members.
Deb Cox, Lowndes County elections supervisor, said Georgia state law dictates that another special election cannot be held until July 31. -
Colo. court says fugitive sibling has plea deal
WALSENBURG, Colo. — One of the three Dougherty siblings accused in a multi-state crime spree, including a Valdosta bank robbery, has reached a plea deal with prosecutors, a spokesman for the Colorado court system said Wednesday.
-
Airport Authority tours True Flight Aerospace Plant
VALDOSTA — The Valdosta-Lowndes County Airport Authority toured the True Flight Aerospace Plant after their meeting Wednesday morning. True Flight President and CEO, Kevin Lancaster, lead the tour through the facility which is located in the largest hanger at the Valdosta Regional Airport. -
Lake Park: Council members resign
Immediately following the Citizens to be Heard portion of the regular Lake Park council meeting Tuesday night, council members Eric Schindler and Paul Mulkey tendered their resignations.
-
Valwood goes global
Valwood School has hosted several international guests for the past several weeks.
-
City cuts ribbon on new home
With a snip of some over-sized wooden scissors, the City of Valdosta took another step in eliminating substandard housing.
-
Berrien clinic director loses job
Speaking to The Valdosta Daily Times about the possible discontinuation of the Berrien Elementary School MED Clinic led to the program’s executive director losing her job Monday morning.
-
From the CIA to man about town
Meet Jack Pruden, former member of the Central Intelligence Agency.
-
Berrien school medical facility faces an uncertain future
A state-of-the-art medical facility that was introduced in Berrien County public schools in 2010 might be ending soon.
-
New TV listings section debuts in print edition
In Sunday editions of The Valdosta Daily Times, keep an eye out for the updated TV listings section.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Lake Park in Limbo
Obama Gives Education Waivers to 10 States
Giffords Aide to Run for Her Seat
LA School in Sex Abuse Scandal Reopens
Winter Slamming North Asia, Parts of Europe
Syrian Forces Renew Bombardment of Homs
States, Banks Reach Foreclosure-abuse Settlement
Raw Video: Italy's Mount Etna Bursts Into Life
Greeks March; Angry Despite Debt Deal
Raw Video: U.S. Pullout Celebration
Raw Video: Annual Empire State Building Run-Up
Man Killed in Courthouse Shootout
Air Force Airlines: Leaders Get Polished Service
Ga Girl Fights Off Kidnapper at Walmart
Nevada Highway Patrol, City Settle Beating Case
Homs Bombardment Continues, Global Outcry Grows
Raw Video: Dog Rescued From Icy Colo. Water
Skip the Coffee Cup and Inhale Your Caffeine Fix
