Staples community theatre schedules comedy for Aug 12-14
STAPLES - "Men don't cry, we just suck it up and get ulcers," are the words of advice Ward Hammacher has for his son Gunny in the midst of a crisis on a cross country trip. The crisis is just one of many troubles the family encounters in the newest production from Lamplighter Community Theatre called "Urning It," a family-friendly comedy by Ed Vela. The comedy will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 12-14 at Centennial Auditorium in Staples.
Tickets will be available after Sunday at Miller True Value, the Staples World and at the door.
In the comedy, Hammacher discovered that his extremely rich aunt died. To honor her last request, he packs up his family and treks 3,000 miles to scatter her ashes off the Santa Monica Pier and collect his inheritance. The drive proves perilous as the family experinece hilarious misadventures along the way, such as they get stopped in Texas, ripped off in Arizona and jailed in Mexico.
Chris Olsen is directing the show.
Sandy Porter (left), Jenessa Iverson, Hallie Olsen, Brent Sterricker and Kevin Olsen recently rehearsed a scene of "Urning It" while the director, Chris Olsen, checked out the action. The comedy is being presented by Lamplighter Community Theatre.
Actors and their characters are: Kevin Olsen plays Ward Hammacher, who thinks he's smart, on top of it and always right. He isn't. Sandy Porter plays Callie Hammacher, Ward's wife, who is level-headed, pleasant and the real power and heart of the family.
Hallie Olsen is Natalie "Nat" Hammacher, who is the older girl in the family. She's bright, mechanically inclined and a bit of a tomboy. Jenessa Iverson plays Charlotte Anne "Charlie" Hammacher, the middle child. She's sarcastic, saavy and a compulsive neat freak who would put Felix Unger to shame. Brent Sterricker plays Gunther "Gunny" Hammacher, the youngest and the only boy. He's acerbic, wise beyond his years and a wellspring of useless facts culled from endless cable TV watching.
The show also includes cameo appearances by: Justin Edin as the Old Mexican and the Mexican sheriff; Jim Vollegraaf as the salesman; Michelle Hart as the undertaker and the lawyer; Dave Veiths as the short order cook; and Mike Gold as Mesmero and the East Texas cop.