Casseroles and some good-natured bickering are coming to the intimate stage of the Murfreesboro Little Theater.
The Off Books Production of “The Widow’s Best Friend,” a Southern comedy by Randy Hall, stars Nelda Pope, Nancy Clymer, Lisa Davis, Kelly Hayes, Susanne Tenpenny and Evan Scott.
“The Widow’s Best Friend” opens July 18 at 7 p.m. in the log cabin theater at 702 Ewing Blvd.
The play is set around a small Southern community and a group of eccentric ladies as they plan the funeral for the husband of one of their own and try to position themselves as “the widow’s best friend.”
“It is a Southern comedy, a night of pure entertainment, that still has some meaning to it,” explained director Shane Lowery. “You are watching something more than a comedy.”
But the play was selected as a reason to get Clymer and Pope, who are close friends, on the stage together “because we love them,” said Jamie Storvik, who is helping direct and produce the show. “We absolutely love them.”
Lowery said Pope and Clymer are both highly experienced actors and are a joy to work with.
But overall, he said, “The cast is just unbelievably good. I think most of those who go to shows in Murfreesboro will know someone in this cast.”
Off Books Productions also wanted to produce a play with primarily a female cast.
“There are not enough shows out there for women especially older women,” Storvik said.
And that also is what enticed Pope and Clymer to take on their roles of casserole-cooking, Southern ladies.
Clymer, a retired English and theater teacher, who studied at Carnegie Mellon University, is appearing in the play for the first time. She had never even read the play before being asked to perform in the MLT production.
Pope has appeared in productions in and around Murfreesboro for 30 years. Her most notable role to date is perhaps her portrayal of Daisy Werthan in “Driving Miss Daisy,” which she performed at the Center for the Arts and Patterson Park Community Center.
Pope has also performed in area productions of “Widow’s Best Friend” twice before.
“You’ve got a good play, why not?” she said.
Erin Edgemon can be reached at 869-0812 and at eedgemon@murfreesboropost.com.
“The Widow’s Best Friend”
July 18-19, 25-26 at 7 p.m.
July 20 and 27 at 2 p.m.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for seniors and students. For reservations, call 893-9825 or visit www.mltarts.com.
Murfreesboro Little Theater is located at 702 Ewing Blvd.
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