Lakeport >> It’s hard to believe it’s just around the corner, but Christmas is six weeks away. There are many words often paired with Christmas. You’ve heard of a white Christmas, a holly jolly Christmas, a blue Christmas and most certainly a merry Christmas, but have you heard of A Tuna Christmas?
The Lake County Theatre Company’s (LCTC) upcoming production, “A Tuna Christmas,” is sure to give the holiday a new flavor entirely (pun intended). A Tuna Christmas is the second in a series of three plays, all taking place in the quirky town of Tuna, Texas.
The first in the series, “Greater Tuna” was put on by LCTC about 10 years ago. What’s so unusual, and riotously funny, about these plays is that all 22 characters are played by just two actors. Bill Fredrickson and Eric Patrick starred in 2007’s “Greater Tuna.” Their performance had audience members in stitches. The actors taking on the parts in A Tuna Christmas certainly have some big shoes to fill, but I think they are up to the challenge.
Rod Rehe plays half the roles. He’s has performed in numerous productions, including “Spamalot,” “Mind Game,” “The Foreigner,” “Tom Jones,” “Rumors,” “The Dastardly Dr. Devereaux” and others. Rehe is perhaps best known for his dancing and choreography, but he has certainly done his fair share of acting as well. His role(s) in A Tuna Christmas are providing him the opportunity to hone his character acting skills.
Tim Barnes plays the other eleven roles. Barnes is no stranger to character work. He’s played everything from the hardened criminal “RP McMurphy” in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” to the flamboyant “Lancelot” in Spamalot to the developmentally delayed “Charlie” in “Flowers for Algernon.”
Even for someone well-versed in character acting, however, playing 11 parts in one show is quite an undertaking. Rehe and Barnes are sure to deliver a dynamite performance.
A Tuna Christmas is not to be missed, so be sure to make room in your holiday plans to come see this hilarious play. It runs weekends Dec. 4-20 (no show on Dec, 11, however) at the Weaver Auditorium at the Lower Lake Schoolhouse Museum. For more information, call 533-3406. Tickets will be available soon at Pieces Boutique in Lakeport, The Game Hub in Lower Lake, and online at www.lakecountytheatrecompany.org.
The Lower Lake Schoolhouse Museum is located at 16435 Morgan Valley Road Lower Lake.
