Gracyn Taylor of Long Beach, left, Bailey Broome of Gulfport and Clare Kelly of Olive Branch are pictured in a scene from Carey Dinner Theatre’s production of "Radio Gals."
WANT TO GO?- What: “Radio Gals” at Carey Dinner Theatre
- When: June 13-29, 6:30 p.m. Nightly except Sundays and Mondays.
- Where: WCU’s Tatum Theatre
- Tickets: Call (601) 318-6221. Tickets are $35. Group rates available.
Carey Dinner Theatre will open its 44th season with “Radio Gals,” a musical comedy loosely based on a true story. It was written by Mike Craver and Mark Hardwick, creators of such hits as “Smoke on the Mountain” and “Pump Boys and Dinettes.”
The plotline: In the 1920s, Hazel Hunt receives a radio transmitter as a retirement gift and starts Station WGAL in Cedar Rapids, Ark. Hazel and her “Hazelnuts,” friends who are singers and musicians, gather daily in the parlor to present listeners with all the latest gossip, toe-tapping songs, and hilarity the airwaves can carry. An accordion-playing government inspector gets involved when Hazel’s broadcasts unknowingly break the law.
Carey Dinner Theatre performers are chosen after auditions in the spring. The cast of “Radio Gals” includes Jordan Bell of Ocean Springs, Bailey Broome of Gulfport, Lee Fortner of Port Gibson, Clare Kelly of Olive Branch, Ryan Kelly of Vicksburg, Nelson Meredith of Olive Branch and Gracyn Taylor of Long Beach.
Original songs include “When It’s Sweetpea Time in Georgia,” “Dear Mr. Gershwin,” “Edna, the Elephant Girl” and “That Wicky-Wacky, Hula-Hula, Honka-Wonka Honolulu Hawaiian Honey of Mine.”
“Radio Gals” runs nightly June 13-29, except Sundays and Mondays. Dinner is served at 6:30 p.m. in the Joe and Virginia Tatum Theatre on William Carey University’s Hattiesburg campus, and the performance follows. The box office is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Seats may be reserved by calling (601) 318-6221. Tickets are $35 and include show, buffet, and sales tax. Special rates are available for groups.
The second show of the season is the gospel musical comedy, “Peace Like a River,” which runs July 9-20. It tells the story of Harmony Valley Church and the confusion that reigns there. Full of lively gospel music and humor, the show is a heart-warming evening for audiences. Reservations can be made for both shows.
