You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. You’ll want to buy dancing shoes. Join the RATT pact as they present their 2011 season opener at Madison’s downtown Rural Area Theater (RAT). The smash hit Dearly Departed presents the Turpin family during their time of tragedy when Daddy Bud passes suddenly at the breakfast table. As the family gathers, they prove that living and dying in the south are seldom tidy and always hilarious.
Raynelle Turpin, Bud’s widow (played by Judie Baldwin), describes her deceased husband as mean and surly. As she explains to Reverend Hooker (Bob Wieland), “We were married 39 long (pronounced loooooong) years.” Rounding out the family are oldest son RayBud (Link Claverie) and his wife Lucille (Dawn Renner); son Junior (Justin Webb) and his wife Suzanne (Melody Claverie); young daughter Delightful (Molly McCormack); Aunt Marguerite (Jessica Webb) and her son Royce (Alberto Rosalio).
New to the RAT stage are local residents Alston Kelly and Sharon deJonge as they lend humor through their portrayal of friends of the Turpin family. Teagun and Skyler Dunn showcase their voices as members of the Joy of Life Singers. Behind the scene experts Donn Smith and Tim Dunn serve as stage manager and tech coordinator.
The show opens April 7 and will run through April 10. Show times are 7:30 Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and 3:00 Sunday. For more information, or to make reservations, call 850-673-9585 or visit www.rattpact.com.
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