LOWER LAKE — The hilarious comedy, “Christmas Bells,” rocked the house at the Weaver Auditorium in the Lower Lake Schoolhouse Museum opening night! Rumor has it that the dress and tech rehearsals finished just hours before the opening curtain due to Thanksgiving, etc. How could they put on a good show like that? I don”t know, but they did!
Set in Fayro, Texas, the show hooted and hollared from the opening monologue (drawled wildly into the phone by Geneva Musgrave ?Kristie Weiss) to the collapse of the “stinking Santa” (Mill Garrett) in the last act “in the blink of an eye, honey. You better believe it!”
Long time set builder, Wink Winkler and his pro-painter sidekick, Mike Earnst pulled off the amazing set that flipped effortlessly from stage proper to extensions with the nimble assistance of stager Azella Rehe and there were enough laughs to grease the skids and keep it humming. And that ain”t all.
The story line centers around the three (or is it four?) Futrelle sisters: Honey Raye (woman with a sordid past who is more than happy to tell you how it all happened), Twink (a jailbird who is dead set on revenge for her no-good ex boy friend); and Frankie (the oh-so pregnant mother to be who is expecting twins although she already has a grown daughter, Gina Jo). Got that? This group of four women are trying to put on a Christmas pageant while the former director, the aforementioned Geneva Musgrave, tries to regain control. After all, where else can you have a guest appearance of Elvis, right next to live sheep in the manger?
Michele Chapman, Cathy Mallow and Kathleen Escude were the three sisters, in all their small-town Texas glory … gawdy, eye-rolling, spiteful, kind and riotously funny! Even the sweet, lovable Gina Jo had her own one-liners … and if you find that ring you swallowed, please don”t tell me about it!
The men in the cast were equally hilarious. Tim Barns just kept getting funnier as he played three parts … something he has done in past productions; and his friend Riley helped him deliver the laugh lines with great timing. Mill Garrett should not be allowed to have as much fun as he had playing the hapless father of the soon-to-be-hatched twins. He was fun to watch. And then there was Rod Rehe as the Sheriff: handsome, debonair, in love with the jailbird sister … and SMASHING in an Elvis costume!
And then there was Patsy Price. When you have dueling pageant directors and Santa about ready to pass a kidney stone, what more do you need? Why a society gal, with money stashed in the Caymen Islands, an ego the size of all of Texas …and a headache, that”s what! One look at Catye O”Connel in a little red wagon and there was nothing left of me!
There was a wild card. Who was Rhonda Lynn Lampley and where did she fit in? Who cares? Watching her waltz around in stretch pants and high heels while trying to “make nice” was enough to send you around the bend with laughter. Whereever the show paused for a minute, Kathleen Escude, wielding her huge, pregnant self while grimacing and wisecracking and Kristy Weiss with her obnoxious “Come on people! Let”s do this!” stirred things up and left you gasping. Director Alice Stone should be proud!
There are three performances left: 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5, and Saturday, Dec. 6, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, at the Lower Lake Schoolhouse Museum. Reserved and general tickets may be purchase at Catfish Books in Lakeport. General seating may be purchased at Clearlake Senior/Community Center in Clearlake, and Shannon Ridge Tasting Room in Clearlake Oaks. Reserved seating is $14 and general is $12. Seniors, students and LCTC members receive a $2 reduction per ticket.
See ya there, ya”all!
