'Dearly Departed'returns to GLT stage

In the backwoods of a small Southern town, the beleaguered

Jamin Lester Turpin family proves that living and dying are seldom tidy and always hilarious.

A special visit with the Turpins is the Gaffney Little Theatre's next production - Dearly Departed. This is special return engagement and will play Nov. 16-18 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 19 at 3 p.m. Reservations are recommended because of limited seating. Reservations may be made by calling the Little Theatre at 864-489-4589.

Despite their earnest efforts to pull themselves together for their father's funeral, the Turpins' other problems keep overshadowing the solemn occasion: first-born Ray- Bud drinks himself silly as the funeral bills mount; Junior, the younger son, is juggling financial ruin, a pack of no-neck monster kids, and a wife who suspects him of infidelity in the family car; their spinster sister, Delightful, copes with death as she does with life, by devouring junk food; and all the neighbors add more than their two cents.

As the situation becomes fraught with mishap, Ray-Bud says to his long-suffering wife, "When I die, don't tell nobody, just bury me in the backyard and tell everybody I left you."

Bill Jones Amidst the chaos, the Turpins turn for comfort to their friends and neighbors, an eccentric community of misfits who just manage to pull together and help each other through their hours of need, and finally, a funeral.

The outstanding cast includes theatre veterans. Ken Holmes is the Rev. Hooker (and a brief stint as Bud Turpin and Norval), Susan Baxter-Ferguson is Raynell, Ben Chumley is Ray-Bud, with Junior played by Jamin Lester. Marcia Duncan is Marguerite, Bill Jones plays Royce, Meg Foster is Lucille, and Lori Lee portrays Suzanne. Mary Carpenter is Veda, Phil Gibbons directs the hilarious Kyra Carroll is Nadine, with Mary Turner as Juanita. Chris McGraw portrays Clyde and is a stage manager.

comedy; Daniel Huggin is a stage manager; Sue Gibbons and Stephanie Turner make up the technical crew; and Phyllis Randolph is costumes manager.

The comedy was written by David Bottrell and Jessie Jones.

Susan Baxter-Ferguson Ben Chumley Lori Lee Marcia Duncan Ken Holmes Mary Turner Kyra Carroll Chris McGraw Mary Carpenter Meg Foster