The audience applauded heartily. I strongly applauded both the idea and execution of the playbill realized in the form of a small town newspaper. After all, the play satires the charm of a small Southern town. It also delights in poking fun of the racist right. Perhaps, in 1981, when the play was written, those knocks had teeth, but these days, they blend right in to the rest of the vanilla humor.

The play seems to have taken some inspiration from Andy Griffith and/or Prairie Home Companion, but doesn't quite succeed as well. Though the recorded music punctuated the scenes nicely, live music would have greatly enriched the piece as a whole. That said, Dustin Fasching had quite a moving solo on an imaginary violin. I enjoyed it. And it accented the orating refreshingly. I also appreciated the simple set giving center stage to an antique console radio radiating a warm orange glow from the humming tubes within.

At the outset, the actors jabbered quickly through the "Radio News" segments, as if they knew the dialogue was weak. These segments are somewhat tedious, while the remainder plays out with mild interest. Perhaps fittingly for a small town satire, a woman in the audience pulled out an emery board and began filing her nails.

While Justin Baker incarnates "Petie from the Humane Society" aptly and endearingly, the script only seldom offers something funny for him to say.

Ironically, the funeral scene is really where the play comes alive. Dustin Fasching brings a nice blend of dark humor and melancholy to the female character he embodies. Justin's contributions to the scene also accent it nicely.

-- Books by Author/Illustrator Ross Anthony --