Laurel Little Theatre to Present DEARLY DEPARTED

Laurel Little Theatre continues its "Fifty-Fifth & Fabulous" Season with the drop-dead-funny redneck comedy "DEARLY DEPARTED" directed by Frankie Bennett.

Performances are at 7:30PM on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, March 3rd-4th-5th, and a Sunday matinee on March 6th at 2PM.

The LLT reservation line opens February 25th and answers 24 hours a day all of show week at 601.428.0140. You can see more info on the entire LLT season at the the theatre's website LaurelLittleTheatre.com.

"DEARLY DEPARTED" is LLT's annual Southern comedy, and it's sure to be a hoot! Not since "STEEL MAGNOLIAS" has a more colorful and dysfunctional group of Southern eccentrics gathered below the Mason-Dixon line.

In the backwoods of the Bible Belt, the Turpin family struggles to all come together to bury the despicable daddy of the family. One son drinks too much, another one is doin' time in prison, the third son is pretty much a deadbeat, the daughter is a junk-food-junkie, and his not-so-grieving widow wants to engrave "He Was Mean And Surly" on the tombstone!

The stage play of "DEARLY DEPARTED" was later adapted into a movie screenplay and retitled "KINGDOM COME."

Over 40 folks from all over the Pine Belt area have worked on this production, with cast and crew not only from Laurel, but also Bay Springs, Ellisville, Hattiesburg, Hot Coffee, Ovett, Raleigh, Seminary and Waynesboro, as well as Fruitdale, Alabama.

The cast includes seasoned LLT alumni Rick Bennett, Erin Brady, Debbie Brewer, Laura Cooley, Will Hodges, Anne LaBelle, Marian Latimer, Herb Murray, Paula Pierce, Missy Sanderson, Dustin Sullivan and Angela Watkins.

New to the stage and making their LLT debuts are cast members Kaci Beasley, Virginia Brown, Doug McMullen, Cameron Moesta, Stacy Ruth, Eddie Walker and Jan Walker.

Director Bennett has helmed many LLT productions including "THE ADDAMS FAMILY," "9 TO 5-THE MUSICAL," "THE DIXIE SWIM CLUB," "VISIONS OF BROADWAY" and "DADDY'S DYIN'."

Working on the tech crew on sound and lights, sets and props, costumes and makeup, and behind the scenes, are Joe Blackledge, Edward Boone, Cherie Boone, Sandra Boutwell, Tim Flanagan, Steve Guy, Adam Hodges, Brent Holifield, Wess Hughes, Meredith Jordan, Doug McMullan, Paula Pierce, Missy Sanderson, Coty Shoemake, Alison Vanderslice, Jason Vanderslice, Lauralee Watts, Maddie Watts, R.K. Wilson and Rick Youngblood.

Both single tickets and season ticket sales are handled at the door - all's that's needed in advance is a reservation to the particular performance. For any questions, you can also drop a line to LLTLaurelMS@aol.com.

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