Pell City Players present ‘Southern Fried Murder’
Published 12:01 pm Wednesday, October 23, 2019
- The cast of “Southern Fried Murder” includes (l-r) Glen Turton, Selby Whaley, Matthew Nixon, Brenda McKay, David Howard, and Chuck Cohron. Photo courtesy of Pell City Players.
“Way down south in Dixie, there’s something rotten in the cotton!”
On Oct. 24 -25, the Pell City Players invite the audience to join them for dinner theatre with a performance of “Southern Fried Murder” at Celebrations in Pell City.
The event raises funds for the non-profit community theatre group, who has produced plays in Pell City and St. Clair County for 13 years. They also support a scholarship fund for Pell City High School for theatre students.
“Southern Fried Murder,” written by Billy St. John and by special arrangement with Samuel French, is a story of wealthy family matriarch Magnolia Capote, who has summoned her “kith and kin” to a fancy New Orleans restaurant to discuss her will. When Mrs. Capote is murdered, mayhem ensues and her possible heirs (and the audience) become involved in a treasure hunt to interpret the encrypted will.
Not only will the audience be served dinner during the event, they will also have the chance to participate, with one member of the audience recruited to play a small part.
“A good community theatre entertains, serves, reflects and involves the whole community,” said Kathy McCoy, founding director of the Pell City Players, which was formed in 2006.
The cast includes Bridget Alverson as Magnolia “Nolie” Frost, Chuck Cohron as Ben Parker, Theresa Coshatt as Magnolia “Maggie” St. Lawrence, David Howard as Lou Capote, producer Kathy McCoy as Terry, Brenda McKay as Magnolia Woods, Matthew Nixon as Will Slatterly, Mollie Roberts as Magnolia Capote, Glen Turton as A.J. Watkins, and tenth grader Selby Whaley as Magnolia “Stump” Slatterly.
Dee Parsons, formerly an Assistant Theatre Technical Director at UAB, will direct the play, his second with the Pell City Players. Catherine Lewis, a sophomore with Jefferson State Community College and teacher at Victory Christian Preschool, will be a tech on the production.
Dinner is served at 5:30 p.m. and the play begins at 6 p.m. Artscape Council of the Arts will also be there with a Makers Market beginning at 5 p.m. until after the show on Thursday and 10 a.m. -6 p.m. on Friday. Tickets for the event are $35 and are available on Eventbrite.com or at Artscape Gallery.