Carroll Arts Presents 'Southern Fried Funeral'

McKENZIE (August 20) — The annual Sweet Tea Festival kicked off Thursday with a night of laughs at the historic Park Theatre as Carroll Arts, Inc. presented "Southern Fried Funeral." An encore performance was Sunday afternoon, closing out the festival.

The play, written by J. Dietz Osborne and Nate Eppler and set in the small town of New Edinburgh, Miss., is a warm-hearted Southern comedy filled with eccentric family members, unexpected visitors and laugh-out-loud funeral-day chaos.

When the Frye family gathers to lay a loved one to rest, old tensions, secrets and hilarious surprises bubble to the surface, creating a touching and unforgettable celebration of family, friendship and life in the South.

Producing the play were Director Denise Sam and Production Assistant Carol Armpriest.

The cast included Kathie Crider as Martha Ann Fox, Nancy Davenport as Fairy June Cooper, Tom Keenan as Benny Charles Greenwood, Sissy Ball as Dorothy Frye, Isaac Stephen Walker as Dewey Frye Jr., Jesalyn Cozart as Sammy Jo Frye-Lefette, Danny Stover as Dub Frye, Destiny Lane as Harlene Frye, Wyatt Sanders as Atticus Van Leer, Andrew Evans as Beecham Lefette and Gina Rainey as Ozella Meeks.

The production crew included Scott Armpriest, Darryl Ball, Jay Barnett, Gary Davenport, Leigh Goodwin, Mike Goodwin, Kim McMahen, Mabel Plank, Bonnie Teas, Eric Teas and Stephen Williams.

The tech crew included Freedom Sound Productions, Steve Morris and Ben Wolski.

Casting was by Chelsea Fuller Brown, Mitchell Fuller and Aubrey Doyle.

Carroll Arts thanked the City of McKenzie, the Park Theatre, McKenzie Senior Center, Bala Boyd of Bethel University, McKenzie City Florist and More, Bonnie Teas (t-shirts) and Hunter Smith.

Donors for the production were Carroll Bank & Trust, TNT Pizza, Super Drugs and Waddell Clinic.