Interview: Dixie Longate in DIXIES TUPPERWARE PARTY at MPAC

Dixie's Tupperware Party written by and starring Dixie Longate and directed by Patrick Richwood will be on stage at Mayo Performing Arts Center on Saturday, October 7th.

Dixie Longate, the fast-talking Tupperware Lady, packed up her catalogues, left her children in an Alabama trailer park and took Off-Broadway, the UK & Australia by storm. Join Dixie as she throws a good ol'fashioned Tupperware Parties filled with outrageously funny tales, heartfelt accounts, FREE giveaways, audience participation and the most fabulous assortment of Tupperware ever sold on a theater stage. Loaded with the most up-to-date products available for purchase, see for yourself how Ms. Longate became a member of the illustrious "#1 Tupperware Seller in the World" Club, as she educates her guests on the many alternative uses she has discovered for her plastic products.

Broadwayworld.com had the pleasure of interviewing Dixie Longate about her career and Dixie's Tupperware Party.

When did you first realize your penchant for comedy?

I think when I was a wee little one, I used to eat my Nanna's 4-bean salad on Saturday nights and when I was in church on Sunday morning, it would sneak back up and say hello. That made my Momma laugh during the sermon. That made the sermon go so much faster when we were all laughing, so I think that is maybe what made me realize that with a few of the right ingredients, I can make people chuckle.

Are there any performers or shows that have inspired you?

I remember watching "The Carol Burnett Show" when I was younger and seeing old reruns on "I Love Lucy." I think seeing people with red hair making other people happy inspired me to want to do the same. And just about every show I have ever seen gives me some sort of inspiration. That's why I am so grateful to be able to be part of this world of entertaining. I have just had my jaw laying on the floor at some of the amazing theater shows I have seen in the past few years. And when my jaw opens up that big, it usually makes for a good night.

I know you have travelled with the show a good deal. How do you like life on the road?

It's fun! I get to see the world and meet great people and best of all, I don't hardly never have to see my kids except when they make me be on the Skype and see their little faces. Then I have to pretend that I am missing them a lot and do that fake cry that I learned from watching Demi Moore in that movie about her dead husband that makes clay pots a lot. They keep telling me to bring them back presents and I keep forgetting because I find that just like in the alphabet, the Bar comes before the Gift Shop.

A little about the team behind Dixie's Tupperware Party.

A small group of people brought "Dixie's Tupperware Party" to life. Way back in 2004, director Tom Caruso and I chatted about taking my Tupperware parties out of the living room and bringing it into a theater. The New York International Fringe Festival was where I stepped on stage for the very first time. That took me to a run at Ars Nova in 2007 working with Director Alex Timbers and writer Elizabeth Meriwether. I had such a blast being in New York with all those fantastic people and when that lead to me taking the show on the road, I thought that I might be going to a few cities to do a couple of performances, but 9 years later, I am still on the road with my cohort and tour manager, Michele Helberg who makes sure that I get to where I am supposed to be each night and helps me get out of town when my ankle bracelet goes off. This version of the show was directed by Patrick Richwood and my co-proudcer, Richard Martini runs everything from NY. Sometimes it is like he is Charlie and I am one of the Angels because I only ever heard his voice over the speaker phone. I have reason to believe he might not actually exist.

Why do you think NJ audiences will enjoy the show?

Everyone I have come in contact with loves a good evening of laughing and having fun. Who doesn't like a good party? Not a soul, that's who. I have been to places that I didn't even think had food, but they still had fun learning about the best food storage crap on the planet and getting to giggle with their friends and neighbors. At the end of the day, with all the craziness going on in the world, it's just fun to spend an evening with a sippy cup filled with booze and a couple of smiles.

For the future?

I know that I have a bunch more cities that want me to do my show and I am hoping to get myself on the TV so I can share some of my stories with many more people in one fell swoop. I wrote another show a few years ago called "Never Wear a Tube Top While Riding a Mechanical Bull (and 16 other things I learned while I was drinking last Thursday.)" that I have been taking around to different cities and will hopefully bring to New Jersey in the near future. I also think I will be writing some more of my stories and adventures down in order to share them. When I grew up, I just didn't want to be in prison, so at this point, everything that has happened so far is like icing on a giant cake that is filled with ice cream and tastes like Christmas.

Anything else, absolutely anything you want BWW readers to know.

Did you know it takes as much effort to be irritated as it does to be neighborly? Momma always says give three compliments a day to people. It makes the world easier to tolerate and gets a smile back to you right away. For example, Start in the morning. Turn to that man you brought home from the bar last night and say "Thanks sugar, you did that think with your hand real good. Your Momma raised you well." That's going to put a smile on his face and start both of y'alls days off right. It's all upward from there.

Oh, and come see the show. You'll have a good time.

For more info or to see pictures of Dixie Longate doing fun things, go to her website at www.DixieLongate.com.

Dixie's Tupperware Party contains adult content and will be enjoyable for children ages 16 and up. There will be Tupperware available for purchase with the most up-to-date products.

Dixie's Tupperware Party will be performed at MPAC on Saturday, October 7th at 8:00 pm. MPAC is having a special pre-show happy hour for LGBT community members and friends. If folks would like to attend, they can use promo code DIXIE2017 when ordering their tickets.

MPAC is located at 100 South Street, Morristown, NJ 07960. To purchase tickets for Dixie's Tupperware Party and upcoming shows, call them at 973.539.8008 and visit their web site at https://www.mayoarts.org/.

You can follow Mayo Performing Arts Center on social media: Facebook.com/MayoPerformingArtsCenter, YouTube.com/mayocenter, Instagram: @mayopac

Photo Credit: Bradford Rogne

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