GREATER TUNA to Open at Hatbox Theatre

The comic play Greater Tuna opens at Hatbox Theatre on October 23rd and runs through November 8th. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30pm, and Sundays at 2:00pm. Tickets are $22 for adults, $19 for members, seniors, and students and $12 for senior members. Tickets may be reserved by calling 603-715-2315 or purchased online at www.hatboxnh.com.

First produced in 1981, Greater Tuna, written by Jaston Williams, Joe Sears, and Ed Howard, has been produced thousands of times all around the country with Sears and Williams performing. Its creators have toured the play extensively and it led to a filmed production by Norman Lear for HBO. Since that time, the Tuna "universe" has expanded to three more plays revisiting the lives of the characters from Greater Tuna and expanding the world to other characters, seasons and locales (can you say Vegas?).

For performers Andrew Pinard and Eric Stanley, this is not their "first time at the rodeo", as they are stepping into the roles they previously played on stage in Concord at the Annicchiarico Music Theatre in 1991. "We had always hoped to have the opportunity to revisit Tuna," Pinard says, "After Hatbox Theatre opened, Eric and I had the opportunity to work together on a couple of shows, we would talk about how much fun it was. I ordered the other scripts on a lark and things progressed from there."

In this two-act comic play, two actors, Andrew Pinard and Eric Stanley, take on twenty roles - men, women, and even small animals - and along the way introduce audiences to the wacky citizens of Tuna, Texas. The play opens with the morning broadcast from radio station OKKK (275 watts) and its two broadcasters, Thurston Wheelis and Arles Struvie. In the first few reports, we get a sense of Tuna's community, its priorities, and the "larger than life" inhabitants of "the third smallest town in Texas."

To portray the many characters requires many, many quick costume changes by the cast and very creative timing and choreography. Some of the characters from this strange and fascinating journey include: Didi Snavely (proprietor of Didi's Used Weapons); the whole Bumiller family consisting of Bertha ("the only high-C soprano in the First Baptist Choir"), her husband Hank, their "psycho twins" Charlene and Stanley, and youngest son Jody and his 8-10 dogs; "Aunt" Pearl Burras, who protects her tomatoes from marauding dogs by whipping up strychnine-laced "bitter pills"; Petey Fisk, head of the Greater Tuna Humane society who struggles with Pearl's actions and finding homes for hyperactive little "half-rat, half-chihuahua, half-whatever" animals; the Reverend Spikes, chair of the Censorship of the Text Books Committee (and owner of many old folk's homes in and around Tuna); and Phinas Blye, relative newcomer to Tuna and perpetual candidate for local office, to mention just a few.

Greater Tuna is a celebration of small-town life, full of contradictions and conflicts that confront us with our own struggles. While definitely a comedy, many significant issues are portrayed: racial inequities, cultural ignorance, neighbor relations, and the challenges of parenting. Irreverence is the rule of the day, and outrageous characters reflect very real issues in a very, very funny way.

COVID-19 PREVENTION MEASURES

Mask use will be required for all patrons and production crew. Hatbox Audience capacity will be capped at between 21-40% with social distancing. The venue will continue to be cleaned before each performance, with special emphasis on areas of common contact (seat arms & backs, door pulls, knobs, etc.). Hand sanitizer will be available in several locations in the lobby. Patrons are asked to observe social distancing upon arrival, while in the space, and upon exiting.

For more information visit: https://hatboxnh.com/

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