‘The Hallelujah Girls’ is next up for the Footlight Players
(Marianne Austin)
The Coshocton Footlight Players present “The Hallelujah Girls” directed by Nathan Mayse and produced by Marsha Cusin. The production takes place over the span of a year in a small Georgia town.
After the sudden death of a dear friend, a gutsy group of ladies commit to change their lives and realize their dreams. Sugar Lee Thompkins converts an abandoned church into a day spa. Along with friends Carlene, Nita, Mavis and Crystal they understand that life is precious and now is the time to live their best life.
Carlene played by Jill Baumgardner said, “I am one of the Spa-Dee-Dah girls. I am the manicurist in the spa. My character is a widow three times over, so she is a little jaded and she gets lonely sometimes. This is a story about women supporting each other. Especially the leader Sugar Lee played by Amanda Gress – she fixes everything. It is a play celebrating women with camaraderie and has a rom-com element to it. It follows the idea that, ‘It’s never going to work, until it does.’ It has something for everyone, the camaraderie among women but also everybody can find something to enjoy. All of us have the same kind of story and we support each other.”
Amanda Gress plays Sugar Lee, “Carlene is a level headed straight-shooter with a little bit of a pessimistic perspective that love is never going to come again. With the Spa-Dee-Da girls or Hallelujah Girls she finds her stride again. You end up seeing this hope develop in character after character. Sugar Lee is always doing the right thing to push them to that next level to find happiness. Carlene is the main anchor of the spa; she brings in a lot of business with her manicure gifts. Secondly, it is her leveling, matter of fact, doesn’t get riled about much, just takes life as it comes attitude. She doesn’t expect too much because she is used to bad things happening. We are watching and we’re so excited when it goes her way. All of the characters have that transition story within the play where they all support each other.”
Dana Kittner’s character is Mavis Flowers, a woman in her 60s who’s marriage is difficult. “Sugar Lee pushes me to try new things but she ends up reaching out to my husband and stirs him up to try a different technique and it works for our marriage. She helps us find our way and in the end it is us helping her find happiness. I feel we are like these ladies; we like each other, we like each other’s company. Crystal is a character who loves everything, hairdos, costumes. She loves the holidays, so she enters the spa decked out in all of her gear. You never know what is going to come out of her mouth or what she is going to wear.”
Denny Blanford is Porter Padgett, a lead clerk at the post office. “I am kind of ‘full of myself’ and I’m kind of a lady’s man but I’m not. My character thinks he is. I’m in love with Carlene but I’m really a Momma’s boy. I’m tied to her apron string. I’m in love with Carlene but Momma wins. It’s a cute play if you want to sit back, relax and laugh. ”
Kevin Kreider’s character is the contractor Bobby Duane who helps fix up the spa. “I have a past romance. I come to save the day but also rekindle that old romance. The play is very funny, it’s hilarious. There are a few serious moments too.”
“The Hallelujah Girls is one of those silly, unrestrained shows that our audiences love. It reminds us of the importance of good friends, and of not taking life so seriously that we forget to laugh and love,” said Sheila Mayse, who plays Bunny. “The southern comedy was written by the writers of ‘The Golden Girls.’”
Director Nathan Mayse said, “I was drawn to the show because you can identify with the characters. I tend to be drawn to shows that have dysfunctional families and this is sort of that way. This is a group of gals who have formed their own family. It’s about their struggles and their triumphs and making their own transformation. There is laughter but also some softer moments intermixed with that.”
The Hallelujah Girls will be at the Triple Locks Theater Friday and Saturday, Nov. 25-26 at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, Nov. 27 at 2:30 p.m.; Friday, Dec. 2, Sunday, Dec. 4, and Friday and Saturday, Dec. 9-10 at 7:30 p.m. For more information go to footlightplayers.com or call 740-622-2959.
Category: Arts & Entertainment
