FRIDAY 5 (+1): SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY's Bailey, Sanford, Ragland and Ray-Jones

Vickie Bailey directs a cast filled with audience favorites as Woodbury's Arts Center of Cannon County debuts its latest production: Jones/Hope/Wooten's Southern Hospitality, the continuing saga of the Futrelle Sisters of Fayro, Texas. Bailey calls upon her very own memories of growing up Southern (even if it was up north in Kentucky...I'm just sayin') to bring the lovable characters to life onstage.

We managed to corner Vickie and three of her actors - Drew Sanford, Tabby Ragland and Mandy Ray-Jones - and convince them to answer our famous Friday 5 (+1) questions, giving us some insight into why they do what they do (and how they do it), as well as to offer up some suggestions about why you should make certain you don't miss their show...

Drew Sanford

What was your first taste of "live, onstage" theater? My start in live theater was a production of Oklahoma when I was 17. I played the part of will and was hooked from then on.

What is your favorite pre-show ritual? I like to get alone and run through all my scenes in my head. Thinking through entrances and exits.

What is your favorite "the show must go on" moment? I had the part of Willy Wonka and during a show I tripped down some stairs as I was getting the puppet of Mike TV. After landing on the floor, I hopped up and said. Mike TV is ok, but I am not sure about Wonka...and continued the scene.

Who is your theatrical crush? Would have to say watching Nathan Lane is always amazing. His command of the stage is amazing.

What is your dream role? The part of Javert in Les Miserables.

Why should people come see Southern Hospitality? It is a way to experience the quirks in your own family love in front of you. We all have that person that we just have to laugh at. Come experience that live and in person with us.

Tabby Ragland

What was your first taste of "live, onstage" theater? My first taste of live theater was watching Harvey at the Arts Center of Cannon County before they even had their own building. It was in the Lion's Club building and my mom was in the show.

What is your favorite pre-show ritual? Since Southern Hospitality is my first show, I guess that I will have to start one!

What is your favorite "the show must go on" moment? When I was working backstage during Memphis the musical, the sliding "wall" came off its hinge and fell to the ground. We just kept going until intermission and we could get it back on track.

Who is your theatrical crush? My theatrical crush is Neil Patrick Harris.

What is your dream role? My dream role would be playing Shelby in Steel Magnolias.

Why should people come see Southern Hospitality? People should come to see Southern Hospitality because it is a super funny show about real, everyday people who are just like many small towns across America! The cast is terrific, and they have all been very helpful and encouraging to me with this being my first adventure on the stage. We all need to laugh more!!

Vickie Bailey (Director)

What was your first taste of "live, onstage" theater? I did my first play in the fifth grade on Mother's Day! I was Mamacita Rosalita and I made tortillas on stage! That pretty much sealed the deal right then! I also remember going to a huge theatre at Murray State University and seeing a fairy princess on stage and I wanted so bad to be her! But now back to the real world! I've always loved theatre and was fortunate to be cast easily in shows throughout my high school days! One of my first big memories of a large onstage production was Oklahoma at the Orpheum in Memphis staring John Davidson! Circa 1980! That was a spectacular show to me and I was sure I was always going to be a part of the world of theatre!

What is your favorite pre-show ritual? As a director I like to bring my cast together and have just a little moment of reflection, discussing the laughter and the tears we have shared! I always want them to know how proud I am of all their hard work! As an acto,r I take a quiet moment and think - I'm never doing this again! Then I'm ready!

What is your favorite "the show must go on" moment? Oh, my, the show must go on! Well, the most difficult one for me was when I played Mrs. Savage in The Curious Savage. There was a small altercation backstage between two ladies and being as nosy as I was I wanted to know what was going on! But it was during a time in the play that I had to do two or three very quick scenes! I would come off stage put on a sweater and hat and get info on the fight, then run back on stage and do my scene - it was very hard to keep going as I wanted to know what was happening but I knew - the show must go on!

Who is your theatrical crush? The first Broadway show I saw in NYC was The Secret Garden with Mandy Patinkin. Wow, he was so handsome and sung so magnificently that it was instant love! No one has ever been able to impress me more!

What is your dream role? Two favorite shows that I have directed in the past, the Velveteen Rabbit and A Few Good Men, I have the opportunity to direct again this year! I've been very,very blessed to have acted in some good productions and even more blessed to have directed so many productions that I've loved! I don't think I have a "dream show" I just have a dream to keep doing theatre!

Why should people come see Southern Hospitality? Southern Hospitality is a fun show to make you laugh and enjoy a night of live theatre! This show has first time actors as well as some who can't remember all the shows they have done! A true community theatre production. Cannon County is a lovely drive on a spring evening! The question is why on earth would you miss this delightful experience!

Mandy Ray-Jones

What was your first taste of "live, onstage" theater? My first taste of live theater was in the eighth grade when my class went to see The Diary of Anne Frank at, I believe, TPAC. This would have been the early 1990s and really was the first time I'd seen a play since Kindergarten. Upon reading the biography in the program of the actress who played Anne, I couldn't help but notice we were approximately the same age. I was so impressed by her performance and it was at that point in time that I remember wishing I had access to theater opportunities. Later that school year, I discovered that a few friends were doing a skit in the school talent show. While I was not invited, I kinda inserted myself so I could join the other students on stage and I loved just being in the background. Later, my sophomore year in high school, I took my mom to see a performance of a play at my school and I was so blown away by the girl playing the lead character that I declared then and there that I would eventually do what she was doing.

What is your favorite pre-show ritual? Before a show opens, I like to stock up on healthy bars and kombucha to drink throughout tech week. I also grab premade foods so that I can more easily feed my family on those days. I homeschool my three kids so the week of opening is always pretty hectic. Prior to a performance, I make sure I go to the bathroom right before I go on stage because I drink a lot of water and I have to pee all of the time. There's nothing worse than being on stage and needing to take a potty break.

What is your favorite "the show must go on" moment? Once, when I was producing a children's show, a cast member passed out on stage. It took a few seconds for me to realize what was happening as I was backstage but once I figured it out, I opened the curtain, stepped onto the stage, held up my cell phone, told the audience I was calling 911 and exited the building while I made the call. Within moments, some volunteer parents had carried the cast member off stage, my husband had assisted in making sure they were comfortable, the child's mother had been called and I heard the music start again. There was less than a five-minute pause in the production if my memory serves me well. I was proud of how we all handled the situation. And for the record, the child was fine. They had most likely buckled their knees and from that night on, those cast members that had previously been standing had been given a stool!

Who is your theatrical crush? Right now, I guess I have two theater crushes. The first one is James David West. He's so incredibly talented. It's been amazing to watch him grow and develop as an actor over the past 15 months. Every part he lands, no matter the size, he gives his all, which is what makes him stand out from the rest of the actors I know in our community. Furthermore, he's a loyal friend and is always there for me any time I need him. If you've not had a chance to see David perform, fix that. He'll blow you away. Secondly, I'd have to say I'm crushing pretty hard these days on Luke Gannon who plays my husband, Dub, in Southern Hospitality. Not only is he just plain old hilarious but he's incredibly easy to work with. I've never worked this closely with an actor who I felt was so consistently open to trying new ideas on stage and who seems to have my back, literally and figuratively, in such a way. Getting to work with him has been the highlight of this particular theater experience and I hope we get a chance to work together in the future.

What is your dream role? My dream role would have to be Ouisa Kittredge from Six Degrees of Separation. She is a strong, complicated, and wonderful woman, wife, and mother who undergoes changes similar to changes I have experienced in my own life. The words Guare writes for her to say have always taken my breath away. It would be a dream to stand on a stage one day and say, "My life is a collage of unaccounted for brush strokes; I am all random".

Why should people come see Southern Hospitality? People should come see Southern Hospitality because I am working so very hard, if they don't come, I will cry. And when I cry it's not pretty. It's like Lucille Ball and Mary Tyler Moore combined but even worse. So, trust me, you don't want to be the cause of that kind of ugliness so just reserve a ticket and come already so you don't have that guilt weighing you down the rest of your life. Geesh.

About the show: A light mist hung over the battlefield as the Confederate soldiers mustered. How many Union soldiers would they face today? How long would the battle rage on? And, more importantly, would they make it home for the big Fayro fish fry? Yep, it's time for Jones/Hope/Wooten's latest chapter in the saga of the Futrelle sisters: Southern Hospitality, the epic, Texas-sized tale of their chaotic love lives and their determination to stay together in Fayro.

Staying in Fayro is going to be harder than ever though; the closing of the rendering plant and the Super SmartMart have put the little town in real peril. Their last hope is to attract a salsa manufacturing plant which will provide plenty of jobs to Fayro. The way to do that is with Fayro Days, a multi-faceted extravaganza with a beauty pageant, a fish fry, a petting zoo, rides for the kiddies, a salute to Fayro's pioneers, a dunking booth and a huge Civil War battle re-enactment.

Add to all that frivoility: a desperate Twink practically dragging an unwilling groom to the altar, the preacher and his wife with major financial problems, and "the meanest woman in twelve counties", on her way for a visit and you will wonder why anyone would want to live in Fayro, Texas.

The hilarity of the Futrelle clan and their own special brand of Southern Hospitality opens Friday night, March 24, running through April 8 at The Arts Center of Cannon County.

Directed by Vickie Bailey, Southern Hospitality features Mandy Ray-Jones, Tabby Ragland, Cathy Spencer and Jeannine Floyd as the Futrelle Sisters. The cast also includes Art Center favorites Faye Northcutt-Knox, Luke Gannon, Drew Sanford, Michael Spencer, Christy Sanford, Stephen Belk, Elise Floyd, Lora Langford, and Mitch Shannon.

Tickets are $15 with discounts available for seniors and full time students. The Arts Center of Cannon County is located at 1424 John Bragg Highway, just west of the town of Woodbury, approximately 20 minutes from Murfreesboro, Manchester, and McMinnville and one hour southeast of Nashville. Box office hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. Tickets are available by calling the box office at 615-563-2787 or online at www.artscenterofcc.com and at the door one hour prior to show time.

To post a comment, you must register and login.