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Sapphire Level Emerald Level

Audition Dates

• September 13 (7-9 PM) (See character information below)
• September 14 - possible 2nd day

Performance Dates

• Nov 5, 6, 12 and 13 (all 7:30 pm)
• Nov 7 and 14 (both 2:00 pm)

Audition, Rehearsal and Performance Location

First Christian Church
1800 Ave ‘R’, Huntsville, TX

Map

For tickets or more information call 936-291-7933

Introduction

For the past two years Huntsville audiences have grown to love the Sanders Family of Mount Pleasant, North Carolina. Sadly, this will be your last chance to enjoy Rev. Oglethorpe and the Sanders Clan – “Smoke on the Mountain – Homecoming” is the last play of the trilogy. Please join us for an evening of good old-fashioned family fun!

Synopsis

It's October, 1945, and the gospel-singing Sanders Family is back together again. The war is over and America's years of prosperity are just beginning. But there's another kind of rite of passage at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, where Reverent Mervin Oglethorpe is giving his last service. He's been called to preach in Texas, and he's already bought a ten-gallon hat and is preparing to ride into the sunset with his wife June, who is eight months pregnant. Tomorrow morning, young Dennis Sanders takes over as Mount Pleasant's pastor. Join the Sanders Family as they send Mervin and June off in style, with hilarious and touching stories and twenty-five toe-tapping Bluegrass Gospel favorites.

per Samuel French website (n.d). Retrieved from http://www.samuelfrench.com/store/product_info.php/products_id/6416

Character Descriptions

The following character descriptions are transcribed verbatim from the script. They are presented here for informational purposes only; as always, our director will have final say on character portrayal.

• Mervin Oglethorpe – Pastor of Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, mid-30s
• Burl Sanders – Father, 50
• Vera Sanders – Mother, 50
• Stanley Sanders – Uncle, 50
• Dennis Sanders is in his early 20's and has received the call to preach. He is a a returned soldier from WWII and is getting ready to take the pastoral duties from Rev. Oglethorpe at the Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church. He is very devout in his belief and delivers a wonderful sermon in the story line.
• Denise Sanders, Dennis' twin sister, is also in her early 20s. She is now married and has 3 year old twin boys who are running her ragged. She has been to beauty school, has auditioned for a movie part, and is now a sales lady at her father-in-law's appliance store.
• June Sanders Oglethorpe – Sister (and Mervin’s wife), mid 20’s

Auditions will be held only for the parts of Dennis and Denise Sanders. Accomplished singers are required for both parts. They will be singing twenty-five gospel songs with the Sanders Family Singers.

About the Cast

Audition Dates: See Above
Cast: 4m., 3w. Still to be cast - Dennis Sanders and Denise Sanders. 

Several cast members from parts I and II of this trilogy (Smoke on the Mountain and Sanders Family Christmas) will be returning to reprise the roles they have played before:

• Darol Hail as Rev. Oglethorpe
• Mike Pugh as Burl Sanders
• Ruth White Bond as Vera Sanders
• David Gray as Stanley Sanders
• Dennis Sanders - to be cast
• Denise Sanders - to be cast
• Christina Webb as June Sanders-Oglethorpe
• Also returning will be the Sanders Family Musicians "Uncle" Ray Hall and "cousin" Gerald Waltz

Author and Dramatist

Author – Constance "Connie" Ray (born ca. 1956) is an American film and television actress and playwright. Among her highest profile appearances are Thank You for Smoking (2006) and Stuart Little (1999), and the television drama ER (1997). She also appeared in Ice Princess (2005) and on The George Lopez Show (2002).

She wrote the bluegrass gospel musical Smoke on the Mountain, which opened in 1990.
Connie Ray studied acting at East Carolina University in the 1970s. She earned an MFA from Ohio University in the early 1980s. – per Wikipedia, (n.d.), Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connie_Ray

Conceived by Alan Bailey – No information available.

Musical Arrangements by Mike Craver – “A North Carolina native, Craver graduated from the University of North Carolina and was a member of the Red Clay Ramblers for 12 years, appearing in Diamond Studs and Sam Shepard's A LIE OF THE MIND, recording nine albums, and touring the US, Canada, Europe, Scandinavia, Africa and the Middle East. After leaving the Ramblers, Mike got involved in more theatre, both as a writer and performer. Off-Broadway credits also include The Oil City Symphony (co-author and original cast member, Drama Desk award), Smoke on the Mountain, Radio Gals (co-author and original cast member, LA Ovation award), Wilder (co-author and original cast), Lunch at the Piccadilly (co-writer and original cast), Smoke on the Mountain Homecoming (arranger and additional music and lyrics). He has worked in theatres across the country, including the Pasadena Playhouse, Actors Theatre of Louisville and the Cape Playhouse in Dennis, Mass.” – per Mike Craver Website (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.mikecraver.com/bio.html

About the Directors

Molly Campbell (Director) studied theater, dance, and visual arts and graduated with a MA from SHSU.  She studied dance with Martha Graham in New York City and with Hanya Holm in Colorado College, Colorado Springs.  Molly is a retired teacher of art and dance.  At present she teaches Pilates and gives Thai Yoga massages at Huntsville Health Movement.  Her long history with the Huntsville Community Theatre includes directing, acting, painting sets, acting president of the HCT board, and many other jobs.  Molly directed Spoon River Anthology, A Woman Called Truth, The Rain Maker, and Smoke on the Mountain for HCT.

"The best experience I have had is to see my husband Charlie Campbell on the stage as Chief Sitting Bull in Annie Get Your Gun.  I made his costume and won an Award for Excellence of Novelty Costume at the Texas Nonprofit Theatre, Inc. in 2006," states Molly.

Carol Carden (Musical Director) is a native of Fort Worth but has been a Huntsvillian for twenty years.  She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Texas Wesleyan College in Fort Worth and began a long and fruitful career in music education that lasted twenty-six years.  After retiring early from teaching, Carol felt led to "redirect" her life and joined the staff at First Christian Church four years ago as a full-time associate minister.   Some of her church duties include pastoral care and directing the adult choir.  Music is a grand and glorious thing to Carol and she can't imagine her life without it.

Musical theater has been a long-time favorite of Carol's ever since she played the lead bunny rabbit in a third-grade play.  Her other roles include Marian the librarian in a production of The Music Man and Daisy Mae in an adaptation of Li'l Abner.   She has also served as musical director in the HCT productions of A Woman Called Truth, Annie Get Your Gun and Smoke on the Mountain.  Carol would like to thank her family for their love and support.

Tickets

At-the-door

• Adults: $12
• Seniors: $10
• Military (active or retired): $10
• Children (17 and under): $7
• Students (HS and college w/ ID): $7
• Groups (10 or more): $1 discount*

* Group rates are given to groups or 10 or more ONLY. Tickets are discounted $1 off the normal price for that patron's level. One person from the group must purchase and pay for all tickets for the group at the same time and distribute the tickets. Tickets for a group will not be sold individually.

PLEASE NOTE: Discounts cannot be awarded to groups of 9 or less, or to already reduced admission rates – such as our children’s summer production.

To Reserve Tickets Call: (936) 291-7933

Season membership

Buy your HCT 2010 – 2011 Season Tickets now and save money and time on upcoming HCT productions!

Click here for downloadable 2010 – 2011 Brochure – Join Today!

Box Office Hours

HCT’s Box Office opens one hour before the start time of each production. For this production the Box Office will be set up at First Christian Church, 1800 Ave. R

• 7:30 PM Productions – Box Office opens at 6:30 PM
• 2:00 PM Matinee – Box Office opens at 1:00 PM

Press Contact

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