Recently widowed Raynelle Turpin has the daunting task of planning her deceased husband’s funeral with family and friends all around lending kind words of support. Well. that’s the way her family and friends see it anyway.
When Raynelle’s best girlfriend Veda and her husband Norval, come to offer their condolences, the conversation ends up being more of a long winded lament of their own trials and tribulations. As Raynelle says to her son Ray-Bud after their visit, “People mean well. They come there wantin to tell you how sorry they are for ya and wind up telling you how sorry they are for themselves. By the end of the evening, you sort of feel like slittin your throat.”
It’s just this comical situation in the Players’ upcoming production of “Dearly Departed” that allows three talented veteran actors to play this hilarious scene to the hilt. First you have Tammy Ackerman Thompson playing Raynelle Turpin, matriarch of this loving southern family. Opposite her is Kelly Mahan, portraying Veda with “southern charm” finesse. And in between these two best friends sits Norval, Vida’s rather confused husband, played expertly by Tom Milam.
While Kelly and Tammy have been seen often in recent OP productions, Tom finds himself back on the Frances Marion Brown Stage after a very long absence. He tells us, 1995 was the last time he performed for Oswego audiences. He and his late wife Helen often played opposite one another in many of the shows back then. He says it feels great being back. And it didn’t take him but a couple of minutes to find his character’s groove and have the rest of the cast in stitches.
These three fine actors, along with a cadre of unique characters, are ready to bring the house down when the lights go up March 27, 28, 29 and April 3, 4, 5 in the Civic Arts Center of Oswego. Tickets are on sale now by calling the Box Office at 315-343-5138 or by logging on to: oswegoplayers.org
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