February 24, 2010 Connect Special

    Hunt Larkin Funeral Homes in the fictional town of Winnsboro, Ga. may be one of the few funeral homes in the country staffed entirely by women.
    Heddy, Martha Rae, Betty, Louise and June are known in their small town as the funeral club. These five women approach the business of operating a funeral home with loving care for each client and deep respect for their bereaved families. In spite of their effort, however, they occasionally manage to end up in hilarious situations.
    The idea to produce The Funeral Club at the Emma Kelly Theater stemmed from a chance meeting between the mayor of Metter, Billy Trapnell, his wife, Yvonne, and author Richard D. Stafford. The Trapnells had read and enjoyed Stafford’s novella, The Funeral Club and were thrilled to meet the author in person. When Stafford mentioned that he’d worked the novel into a script, the Trapnells knew that Metter native and theater legend Mical Whitaker was the man to direct a local production.
    Once Whitaker had read the book, he and the Trapnells presented the idea to the Averitt Center’s executive director, Tim Chapman.
    “After reading it, I knew we had to do this play!” exclaims Whitaker with his customary exuberance.
    After reading the book himself, Chapman agreed, “The Funeral Club is one of those rare comedies that tells a serious story.”
    In this case, the audience will laugh at the antics of The Funeral Club ladies while recognizing the familiar situation of a small town business trying to stay locally owned and operated in the face of pressure from America’s corporate chain system.
    Stafford acknowledges hat this is intentional. “I wrote the book to explain what was happening in small town America. Also, I used a funeral home as the main business in the story because I wanted people to understand that, especially in a small town, funeral homes are very personal, they function as friends of the families, helping them through their times of grief. It is important that this role remain the same, even as small towns experience growing pains in other areas.”
    It’s hard not to be intrigued with the stalwart women of Hunt Larkin Funeral Home. Grandmotherly Betty, played by Eileen Bayens of Statesboro, puts everyone at ease even in the most strenuous of circumstances. She has owned Hunt Larkin since shortly after World War II.
    No-nonsense accountant Louise, played by Gail Davis of Statesboro, has been with Hunt Larkin since its beginning and guards every penny as if it’s her own.
    Mortician Heddy, played by Wendy Weinberger of Statesboro, has the “grit of a Marine sergeant’s mother” and has been embalming bodies so long that it’s just routine. That in itself tends to get her into some tight situations.
    Jamaican-born June, played by Shaunta Ellis-Rock of Metter, has long ago ceased being shocked at Heddy and now simply murmurs the Jamaican expression, “Boo noo noo noos” at anything out of the ordinary.
    And finally, sweet Martha Rae, played by Susan Jackson of Statesboro, is so bubbly and jovial that one barely notices her innate fear of the slumbering “clients” who enter Hunt Larkin. But even Martha Rae proves to have a tough streak when backed into a corner.
    Metter resident Mical Whitaker is a favorite around the Emma Kelly Theater. He has starred in numerous productions and will perform this April as Hoke in the return of Driving Miss Daisy. Mical has also directed countless plays at the Emma Kelly, including the annual production of Black Nativity, the Averitt STARS production of Blessed Assurance, and An Evening with Langston Hughes.
    “Everyone needs to read the book,” says Averitt Center director Tim Chapman. “It’s delightful and touching. Living in or around Statesboro, you will relate to this book.”
    Author Richard D. Stafford will be present a post-play question and answer session on the opening night of the play, Friday, February 26. Audiences will be able to purchase copies of three of his books: The Funeral Club, Beyond the Beach, and Stories for Fathers and Sons. Mr. Stafford is donating all profits from book sales to benefit the Averitt Center for the Arts.
    The Funeral Club will be presented by Averitt STARS Community Theater in the Emma Kelly Theater Feb. 26 and 27 at 7:30 p.m. and on Feb. 28 at 2:00 p.m. Cost of tickets is $15 for Box Seats, $13 for Adult Seats, and $10 for Youth. The opening night is reserved seating. All other seating is general admission. Call (912) 212-2787 Tuesday – Friday, 1 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. to purchase tickets.

Print

E-Mail Story

News Letter Sign up

« Previous Story | Next Story »