Director Paul McKinney and Stage Manager Steve Standish have brought together a group of wonderful actors and actresses who will play out the fun that unfolds when “Dearly Departed” by playwrights David Bottrell and Jessie Jones opens in the Frances Marion Brown Theater at the Civic Arts Center in Oswego August 6 at 7:30 p.m.
The Turpin Family is like many families living in the good old USA. They have their ups and downs, successes and failures, but struggle to do their very best on any single day.
Bud and Raynelle Turpin are the head of this loving southern family. Older son Ray-Bud, his wife Lucille, Junior, the younger of the two boys, and his wife Suzanne, and Delightful, the senior Turpin’s young daughter, surround themselves with bossy aunts, strange acting cousins, and many wonderful nosy neighbors.
The impressive cast includes Tammy Thompson as Raynelle, Eric Cronk as Ray-Bud, and Jennifer Waugh as Lucille. Local educator Josh Delorenzo will be playing down trodden Junior alongside Gina Wentworth as his frustrated wife Suzanne.
The real confusion begins when Bud’s rather controlling sister Marguerite and her out of work son Royce appear on the scene to help Raynelle. Beverly Murtha and Matt Fleming will be stepping into these two hilarious roles. You won’t want to miss the two of them together on stage.
This talented cast is supported by Don Crowe playing the family minister, B.H. Hooker and Alex Taylor as Delightful, the young daughter of Raynelle and Ray. Don is a favorite of local community theater and Alex was last seen in the OP production of Dracula.
Now what would a family be without good friends. Well the Turpins have some unique personalities that bring both support and frustration to the family in this time of need. Take for instance, Veda, best friend of Raynelle. Kelly Mahan will delight OP fans in this outlandish role. As will Nadine, Clyde, and Juanita have played wonderfully by Megan Murtha, Peter Mahan, and Adele Cronk respectively. What a hoot they are! And then there’s poor Norval, Vida’s husband, played unknowingly naïve by veteran OP actor, Tom Milam. “Ain’t that right Norval?”
Dearly Departed opens in the Frances Marion Brown Theater,
30 Barbara Donahue Dr. Oswego, NY 13126
August 6, 7 13, 14 at 7:30 pm and August 8, 15 at 2:00 pm.