Everything is Better When It’s Southern Fried

Y’all better watch out, word on the street is that a group of “classy rednecks” has taken over the Park Theatre and will be putting on two shows for folks this week during the Sweet Tea Festival in downtown McKenzie.

Yes siree! They are calling it the Southern Fried Funnies, and it kicks off at 7 p.m. on Thursday, August 21 and again at 2 p.m. on Saturday, August 23.

The Southern Fried Funnies is a variety show brought to you by Carroll Arts, Inc. that includes sketches from and based on Hee Haw, The Carol Burnett Show, Abbott and Costello, The Dean Martin-Jerry Lewis Comedy Hour, The Tim Conway Comedy Hour, Minnie Pearl and Ray Stevens.

Cast members include: Carol Armpriest, Scott Armpriest, Alene “Sissy” Ball, Darryl Ball, Gary Davenport, Nancy Davenport, Veronica Giaimo Davis, Andrew Evans, Mayor Ryan Griffin, Thomas Keenan, Marlene Kreuter, Destiny Lane, Lynda Lankford, Tricia Lee, Brittany Martin, Melissa “Missy” McDonald, Fran Musser, Martha Sue Peters, Gina Rainey, Glynda Rich, Brad Sam, Bonnie Teas, Jesse Turner and Isaac Stephen Walker. The production is directed by Glynda Rich and Denise Sam. The stage crew is Allison Cummings (manager), Carol Armpriest and Missy McDonald. Sound and lighting are provided by Ben Wolski.

Y’all might be asking yourselves, what would a group of misfits such as this be doing together? Well, they all came together with a common goal, to administer a dose of nature’s best medicine, laughter.

Speaking of medicine, there is a very disorderly orderly that patrons (and patients) need to watch for while at the theatre. She’s on call during the second act and is guaranteed to fix your ailment or cause a new one. Alene Ball hams it up in The Orderly with co-stars Carol Armpriest, Darryl Ball, Nancy Davenport and Brittany Martin.

Can you imagine what it would look like if a redneck listened to a fashion show on the radio and then tried to have their own fashion show? Bless their hearts, they might take the descriptions of a “spaghetti strap top,” a “crop top,” a “plunging neckline” and a “wedding dress train” too literally!

If you attach this season’s crops to your shirt because you wanted to make a “crop top”, you might be a redneck.

If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear Minnie Pearl has a cameo in the Funnies! You won’t believe your eyes and ears when Gina Rainey takes the stage portraying the late country comedian.

You might be a redneck if your church uses hubcaps from a ‘56 Chevy as offering plates. Tricia Lee, Missy McDonald and Bonnie Teas discuss some of the changes happening in their “Redneck Church.”

What do a local schoolmarm and a town floozy have in common? Well, in the skit titled “Happy Trails,” they are the same person, played by Carol Armpriest, as she tries to convince an old prospector (Andrew Evans) to stay with her at the Old Saloon in New Skunkville.

The tomfoolery reaches a fever pitch by the end of the first act, when city mayor Ryan Griffin, portraying Jones, rides in on a horse and gallantly saves Sweet Sue (Tricia Lee) from a gunslinger named Salty Sam (Thomas Keenan). Isaac Walker gives a rousing rendition of the song, “Along Came Jones,” with background accompaniment from Alene Ball, Gina Rainey and Nancy Davenport. Darryl Ball looks on from the comfort of his easy chair.

If for no other reason, you have to come see Gramps (played by Scott Armpriest) go on a slow-speed chase after a young temptress (Destiny Lane) as she disrupts lives and marriages by merely existing in “As the Stomach Turns.” After Gramps falls and can’t get up, Doctor Hopper (Jesse Turner) makes a housecall to wrestle Gramps back into his chair. Yes, it is becoming evident that something has to be done about Gramps and soon. To find out what, you’ll have to come see for yourself.

Tensions start to rise in the second act when Abbott (Brad Sam) and Costello (Jesse Turner) discuss “Who’s on First.”

Despite the stereotype, most southerners are actually quite smart, but you won’t find evidence of that in “Mason-Dixon and the RAM,” as we travel back in time to the Civil War era. After terrible news is delivered via an upside down newspaper, identical twin brothers are forced to go to RAM against each other. Crinoline (Alene Ball) is a southern belle who can’t decide which of the Colonel’s (Andrew Evans) sons to marry, Mason (Isaac Walker) or Dixon (Brad Sam).

This hootenanny would not be complete without live music from Steve Morris, Steve Bomar and Carl Byars interspersed throughout the show. With all this and more cram-packed into the two-hour production, the Southern Fried Funnies are sure to have you rolling on the floor laughing in the aisles. Only two performances, Thursday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. Admission is $5.

Y’all come see us now, ya hear?!