Christmas Belles

Nov. 28 - Dec. 14, 2008
by Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope, Jamie Wooten
Directed by Shirley Marlett

Imagine three squabbling members of a dysfunctional family trying to put on a Christmas pageant together in a small town like Fayro, Texas (pop. 3,003). The Futrelle sisters are definitely not in a festive mood, and anything that could possibly go wrong…does. The resulting mayhem forms the basis of the hilarious comedy, Christmas Belles, currently playing at the Wimberley Playhouse.

The entire cast of the Fayro Christmas pageant is dropping out like flies due to food poisoning at the Band Boosters’ Pancake Supper. While dealing with a Santa who has kidney stones, a shepherd who must have his little red wagon, and a reluctant Elvis impersonator who must guard the manger, Frankie Futrelle lets slip a family secret that has been carefully guarded for decades.

Christmas Belles is the second play in a trilogy by three playwrights, Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope and James Wooten. The first play in the trilogy, Dearly Departed, was produced by the Wimberley Players twelve years ago. In true modern fashion, Christmas Belles is actually the prequel to the first play.

“This show is fun and colorful, and has an upbeat and meaningful ending,” says director Shirley Marlett, who has acted in and directed numerous productions for the Players. Producer and onstage manager for Christmas Belles is Linda Addeo, also a Players veteran.

Kitty Nichols (Barefoot in the Park, Steel Magnolias, Arsenic and Old Lace) plays Miss Geneva Musgrave, the deposed director of the previous 27 Christmas pageants. Juli Dearrington plays the oldest Futrelle sister, hot-flashing Honey Raye, who agrees to be the neophyte director of the Tabernacle of the Lamb’s Christmas Pageant more or less as community service. Dearrington is also arranging and choreographing the show, along with Players veteran and First Baptist Music Minister Dan Stephens. A newcomer, Amber Lackey, plays Twink Futrelle; Amber is a recent graduate of Texas State with a BFA in Theater and French. The third sister, Frankie Futrelle Dubberly, nine months pregnant with twins, is played by Whitney Marlett Mollahan, who directed Rose’s Dilemma and acted in Bright Ideas this year for the Players.

Perry Redden (Rose’s Dilemma and Bright Ideas) is the deputy sheriff, John Curtis Buntner. Meghan Nicholson  (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Anything Goes) returns to the Wimberley stage as Gina Jo Dubberly. Gary Yowell (The Gospel Accordin’ to Texas) plays Dub Dubberly, her father. Other cast members include Angie Hasness as Rhonda Lynn Lampley, Gina McClure as Patsy Price, the society matron, Marvin Carson as Raynerd Chisum, and Jason Foreman (Man of La Mancha and several Emily Ann productions) as Justin Waverly, who is trying woo Gina Jo.

“As long as your young children are accustomed to thinking of department store Santa’s as ‘helpers’ of the real thing, there should be nothing objectionable in it for them,” says director Marlett.