Dearly Departed rehearsing for short run at Little Theater Playhouse on July 15-17

Junior (Billy Creel, right) threatens his wife Suzanne (Sarah Peacock) with a gun in one of the scenes from Dearly Departed, the uproariously funny summer production of the Washington Little Theater Company schueduled for July 15-17.
Dearly Departed, the Washington Little Theater’s July production, “is drop dead funny,” according to The New York Daily News. It has to do with the conflicts and revelations of a pretty unusual family, the Turpins, when having to deal with the departure (permanent) of the head of the family.

Play dates are shortened from the usual two-weekend run and only three performances are scheduled at The Playhouse on North Alexander Avenue: Friday and Saturday, July 15 and 16, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, July 17, at 3 p.m. The director, Bolton Lunceford, calls patrons’ attention to this curtailing of the number of performances and urges that reservations be made by calling 6789582.

Bill Bufford, of Lincolnton, is Bud Turpin, head of the clan; Jerry Ray Denard is his sister, Marguerite; Jeanie Collins is Raynelle Turpin, Bud’s wife; and Rick Hawes, of Thomson, is Ray-Bud, their older son. His wife, Lucille, is Rose Bennett. Billy Creel is Junior, Ray-Bud’s sorry brother, and his wife is Sarah Peacock, doing the unforgettable Suzanne up brown.

Rounding out the family handsomely are Tony Macchia as Royce, Marguerite’s son ( to her sorrow); and Michelle Landry, of Atlanta, as Delightful, a surprise for Ray and Raynelle late in life.

Outside the family, the Rev. Beverly Hooker and Clyde, owner of Clyde’s Auto Repair and Body Shop, are both vividly portrayed by

Bruce Beggs, of Lincolnton. Joan

Baker brings back the incomparable

Veda, and Bill Bufford is her medical miracle husband. Paying condolence calls are Yam Queen Juanita,

played by Jennifer Landry, of Atlanta, and Carol Boyle, the softhearted Nadine.

“Dearly Departed is full of characters brought to remarkable life,” says Lunceford. “That this area can keep turning up talent like this is some sort of miracle. Come have fun!”