A Rollicking Southern Comedy in Nine Shows April 25-May 11
Cast members of ‘The Hallelujah Girls’ rehearse for the play, which debuts at On Stage on April 25. From L-R Kerri Brooks, Vicki Wrobel, Paige Hood and Keisha Jones. Photo credit: Karly Pecua
MONROE, Ga. – On Stage Playhouse, Monroe’s community theater, presents “The Hallelujah Girls,” a hilarious play about five feisty women of a certain age who decide to shake up their lives after the death of a dear friend.
Set in Eden Falls, Georgia, and rated PG, the play takes part in SPA-DEE-DAH, an abandoned church turned day spa, where the friends gather every Friday afternoon. Although the women realize time is precious, Sugar Lee, their high-spirited leader, has her hands full trying to keep them motivated.
Tickets for the general public go on sale April 11. They are $20 each. The shows will be at 8 p.m. on April 25 and 26, and May 2, 3, 9 and 10. Two Sunday matinees will be at 2 p.m. on May 4 and 11.
A half-price show with $10 tickets will be May 6 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at Carmichael Drugs in Monroe with cash or check. Credit cards are used for online tickets at www.onstagewalton.org/.
“‘The Hallelujah Girls’ is a down-to-earth comedy and it’s hard not relate to a group of good friends who want to have fun and make the best of their lives,” said Karly Pecua, an On Stage regular who is directing the play. “And that’s exactly what these women are trying to do, with a few bumps along the way.
“There’s re-connection of missed romances, finding strength to face your problems, and a sprinkle of rewritten Christmas carols to advertise the SPA-DEE-DAH! Get ready for a lot of laughs from this wonderful cast,” Pecua said.
Pecua is directing a play for the first time. “It’s proven to be a fun challenge and is an eye-opening experience seeing the much finer nuances and details that are needed, while developing the style that I want,” she said. “I’m lucky to have such a fantastic cast. The more I see them rehearse, the more I wish I had auditioned for a role myself! The audience will be in for a treat.”
Maddison Travelo, the assistant director, said, “This production is super exciting for me for so many reasons, the main one being that Karly has really involved me in the creative process. The most challenging aspect of this production has been figuring out the set! We went through a couple of designs, but finally putting the pieces together made it all worth it.”
The character Sugar Lee Thompkins is portrayed by On Stage veteran, Kerri Brooks. “This production is extremely witty, and I am proud to be part of something that involves true grit and friendship!” Brooks said.
“This show involves the friendship of five females who have been through a lot of life’s ups and downs together. They use humor to get through tough situations and they always have each other’s back. You will feel laughter, love, sadness and excitement through the entire show.”
Dee Bailey, another On Stage favorite, said her character, Bunny Sutherland, “is a woman of prestige and wealth. Very much unlike me, but a lot of fun to develop. This play is about friendship, faith and perseverance. What’s not to love?”
Paige Hood, also an On Stage favorite, said, “I play Mavis Flowers, a cantankerous 65-year-old woman who loves to make others laugh with her snarky and sarcastic commentary and enjoys helping her friends find a path to happiness even if she has to drag them down.”
Keisha Jones, a star in several On Stage productions, said, “I am excited to be able to play the role of Carlene Travis. ‘The Hallelujah Girls’ is a story about the obstacles of life and long-time friendship of a group of women over 50 and provides the comedic relief that everyone can appreciate!”
The show was written by Jones Hope Wooten and is presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Services, Inc.
On Stage Playhouse is located at 215 High School Avenue in Monroe. Free parking is available.
ABOUT ON STAGE: On Stage seeks to promote community theater with its honored traditions. Our goal is to introduce, entertain, inspire and engage audiences with live performances. We strive to educate this and future generations in the arts and crafts of theater through workshops and performances.
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