Review: DERBY DAY with the Southern Theatre Company

New theatrical companies are springing up across Arkansas, and one of the most exciting is right in Hot Springs and founded by my talented friends! The Southern Theatre Company, created by Samuel Brett Williams, Kevin Day, and Christi Day, made its bold debut July 18–20 with Derby Day, a play penned by Arkansas native Samuel Brett Williams. Inspired by his own family’s passion for betting on the ponies at Oaklawn, this gritty, darkly funny drama brought raw emotion and Southern tension to the stage. Even better? It was performed at one of my all-time favorite venues—The Vapors—whose vintage charm and electric energy made the perfect backdrop for such an unforgettable premiere. 

Derby Day by Samuel Brett Williams is a raw, riveting Southern drama that gallops headfirst into the heart of family dysfunction. Set in the infield of a racetrack on the day of the Kentucky Derby, three estranged brothers reunite to honor their late father’s memory by placing a high-stakes bet. But what begins as a tense family gathering quickly unravels into a fierce, bourbon-soaked showdown filled with long-buried secrets and unexpected moments of dark humor. With its gripping dialogue and emotionally charged storytelling, Derby Day explores brotherhood, legacy, and the complicated ties that bind. 

As someone who also comes from a family of gamblers, I felt oddly close to this play. The dramatics were not necessarily familiar, but the excitement of cheering for your horse brought back memories of time spent with my parents.  

During intermission, I was able to catch up with owners Christi Day and writer Brett Williams. 

BWW:  Tell me a bit about how this production came together. 

CHRISTI DAY:  Well, you know, Kevin worked with Brett about 10 or 15 years ago on a film Brett did called The Revival. Then they collaborated again on Derby Day back in 2015 after it had already had a run in New York, Los Angeles, and even at the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland. It was actually a London Critics’ Pick at one point. 

Brett had been wanting to start a theater company for a while. He's originally from here, but he lived in L.A. for years and now he's teaching screenwriting in Sacramento. We’d been talking about forming a company for the last few years, and when Brett went on sabbatical, we finally said, “Let’s do it.” 

BWW:  And you chose to start with Derby Day? 

CHRISTI:  Exactly. We thought it was the perfect piece to kick off the company. It’s a powerful, character-driven story with a history we already share. Most of the cast is from the original production, though Sanders is a new addition. Everyone else returned, which has been incredible. It’s our first show under this new company, and we’re really excited about it. 

BWW:  Tell me more about this new company. 

CHRISTI: We just got our incorporation and our 501(c)(3) status, so we’re officially a nonprofit professional theater company. Myself, Kevin, and Brett are the co-founders, and yes, we are paying the actors. This is a fully professional operation. 

BWW: I love The Vapors. This is one of my favorite venues. Do you think The Vapors will be your home moving forward? 

CHRISTI: We’re not sure yet. We’ll probably use different venues and may even take shows to Little Rock or tour regionally. We want to bring original stories to different audiences, not just the typical fare like Disney adaptations, but work that’s edgier and more personal. 

BWW: This is really exciting. And Brett, you wrote Derby Day, right? 

BRETT: Yes, I did. It was originally staged in New York in 2010, and again in 2015,Bbt doing it here makes it feel like it’s finally coming home. This is where it was written and where the story actually took place. 

BWW:  It’s based on your family? 

BRETT: Yes, it’s inspired by my dad and his two brothers. They’ve all passed away now. I grew up watching them at the racetrack, and even though I was raised by my mom and didn’t know them very well, I was always curious about who they were. Writing this play was a way to explore that. 

Over time, my feelings toward them have changed. When I first wrote Derby Day, I think it was a little angrier—more judgmental. Now, years later, I feel more empathy. Especially when I direct the show, I try to infuse those final moments with more understanding. I think it’s a softer, more human story now. 

BWW: That’s really powerful. 

BRETT:  Yeah. I actually posted a photo recently of them at the racetrack—it’s eerie. The way they’re grouped in the photo is almost exactly how the characters appear onstage. It’s like art imitating life, or vice versa. It makes the experience that much more meaningful. 

BWW:  And this is just the beginning for the company? 

BRETT: Absolutely. We’re already planning a festival for January with a fun twist. I work a lot with Jen Gerber, and while she’s doing a short film festival, we’re planning something new: a hybrid festival where some of the plays will be written by AI and some by people. 

We won’t tell the actors or the audience which is which. Everyone will just experience the plays as they are and vote on their favorites. It’s a way of engaging with AI creatively instead of being afraid of it. In fact, we even used AI to help with our logo. We want to keep creating original, compelling work and exploring new formats. 

BWW: That sounds like a bold and exciting direction. Thank you both so much for sharing this with me! 

BRETT: Thank you for coming. We’re really happy with how things are going, and the response so far has been amazing. 

So how about that response? DERBY DAY is gritty and covers a lot of family sins. It kept my attention through the duration. Keven Day plays Frank, and this may be my favorite character I’ve seen him do thus far. He’s powerful and dynamic as the oldest brother, commanding the stage with a presence that’s both intimidating and magnetic. 

Newcomer to the play Joe Lewis Sanders II as Ned is volatile in the best way possible. He’s raw, explosive, and emotionally exposed. You can feel the turbulence boiling just beneath the surface of every line he delivers. His performance pulses with energy, with reckless aggressiveness that leaves the audience holding their breath. For a newcomer to the play, he more than holds his own alongside the rest of the performers, and I’d gladly watch him tear up the stage again. 

Baby brother Johnny, played by Matthew Ham, is damaged yet hopeful for a better tomorrow. Ham brings out his vulnerability that makes you want to cradle him, which is what Ned ends up doing in the end. There’s a childlike sincerity in Ham’s performance, a flicker of innocence that hasn’t been completely snuffed out by the family’s dysfunction. It’s clear Johnny carries some PTSD from growing up under the shadow of their abusive father, and Ham weaves that trauma into his every gesture and glance. It was truly heartbreaking. 

Dealing with this testosterone fest was Miranda Brewer as Becky. She more than proved she could measure up, holding her own with a sharp wit and grounded presence that cut through the chaos like a knife. Brewer brings a fierce resilience and is layered with equal parts strength and exhaustion, showing a woman who’s been through the wringer but refuses to be dismissed. My favorite part though was when she ran off with the winning ticket. I confess I may have audibly told her to grab it and cheered when she did. Mamas do what we need to do.  

I loved this production, and I can’t wait to see what else they bring to the stage. To learn more about this amazing company, follow them on Facebook @ Southern Theatre Company.