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Show promises to be
'A little bit country ...
and a whole
lot of fun'
The cast and crew of the Mid-Columbia Lions Follies will be
presenting their 33rd annual show beginning this weekend. This
year’s show looks at life as a redneck.
“It’s a little bit country, a little bit backwoods and a whole lot
of fun,” says Bev Bridgewater, who wrote and directed this year’s
show.
“The main characters, Roy, Ken Karl and Larry (played by Andy
Streich, Clinton Curtis and Dave Tallman), are always getting in
trouble in our fictitious town of Shady
Cove,
Georgia,”
she says. “The Georgia Tourist Commission is shooting videos and
the townsfolk of Shady Cove are the main attraction.
“This includes the Bean sisters, Ethel and Mabel (Caryn Chilton
and Kim Vogel) and their famous Southern-fried cooking.
L.A.
girl, played by Andrea Fox, meets
Georgia
boy, played by Mike Goss, and the rest is, well, comedy and song.”
The characters go from redneck yoga to an all-town hunting scene.
And the show ends with a wedding — redneck style.
“A key part of the show involves Sheriff Higgins (Larry Wyatt) and
his faithful deputy, Leon (Mike Oates),”
Bridgewater
says. “Solving the town’s problems and chasing criminals simply
adds to the fun of the show.”
Sarah Fox plays Carrie Ann, a down-to-earth country gal married to
Larry (Dave Tallman), and putting up with his hunting and fishing
and hunting and fishing.
“She gives an ultimatum — does the song ‘I’m Gonna Miss Her’ sound
familiar to country music fans?” Bridgewater says.
Bridgewater says that the show was fairly easy to put together
once some of the songs were selected.
“So many of the songs tell the story about the character,” she
says. “For instance, Dina Ormando’s character sings ‘Last Name,’
which is about a guy meeting a gal, drinking a little too much and
heading to Vegas to get married. So, a sub-plot is based around
that song.
“Once Dave Tallman sings ‘I’m Gonna Miss Her (the fishing song),’
his wife has to leave him.
“Of course, they get back together in more country songs,”
Bridgewater says.
A perfect setting for the redneck yoga class is sung by Andy
Streich in “Learning How to Bend.”
“And, of course, the women have a great rendition of ‘Redneck
Woman,” she adds,
There are two songs that Bridgewater used for the basic storyline
of the show: The first is in the opening scene and it’s
“Boondocks,” sung by a group of lead singers. This song sets the
stage for the show location.
The second is “Good Directions,” sung by Mike Goss. This song
tells about a country boy meeting his L.A. girl and falling in
love. This is the basic premise of the show, and it ends in a
redneck wedding.
Other main characters are Carrie Ann (Sarah Fox), who is married
to redneck Larry; Meredith, played by Andrea Fox, and her mother,
Tracy (Megan Perkins-Roush). Perkins-Roush is the vocal director
for the show.
“With 32 country songs, she has been kept busy,” Bridgewater says.
“Most of the songs have vocal backup, so there really is quite a
bit of work to putting a song together.”
The Follies will have a new sound system this year, according to
Bridgewater. Pete Koch, sound technician, says the music will be
crystal-clear this year.
“The performers have already noticed the difference,” Bridgewater
says.
The Follies has also invested in new, wireless microphones,
although many performers will still use the standard mikes.
The show will open with a live rendition of “Rednecks, White Socks
and Blue Ribbon Beer.” Musicians are Larry Wyatt, Cara Vance, Andy
Streich, Lorie White, Rachel Weatherly and Caryn Chilton, with
vocals by Dave Tallman, Clinton Curtis and Mike Oates.
“So, grab yer fishin’ pole, yer huntin’ dog; jump-start that ole
pick-up of yers, and meet us down at the boondocks for the
funniest redneck humor that only the Follies can bring,”
Bridgewater says.
The show is a fund-raiser for Oregon Lions Sight and Hearing
Foundation (OLSHF). It has raised more than $260,000 over the
years and is the largest single fund-raiser for the Foundation.
The OLSHF aids many Oregon residents who have sight and hearing
needs. Among other things, the Foundation helps fund surgeries for
individuals and supports new research in sight and hearing. The
Foundation is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
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