Etta May To Bring SOUTHERN SASS To The Valerie Theatre

Etta May, the so-called "queen of southern sass," is heading to Central Florida for two shows at The Valerie Theatre in Inverness on Saturday, April 9. The comedienne, known for her no-nonsense, next-door-neighborly approach to storytelling, vows to share whatever is on her mind, while steering clear of too much controversy.

"I talk with my audience, not at my audience," she said. "What I try to bring to my show is like we're all just sitting on the front porch, swapping stories. That's what I did as a kid. Every Sunday after church, you went to visit people. I've seen very educated people come to a show, and when they realize they have more common with me than they thought, it scares them. They might have a PhD in science, but I have a PhD in life."

The Arkansas native spent 10 years learning how to handle rowdy crowds while working as a school bus driver, before heading to Los Angeles to pursue her dream of making people laugh. Her down-home style of humor quickly caught on, resulting in May being named Female Comic of the Year at the American Comedy Awards. Through the years, she has appeared on Oprah, Showtime, CBS Sunday Morning, Comic Strip Live, MTV and more. She can also be seen in the acclaimed motion picture A League of Their Own as well as the highly successful all-female comedy tour, Etta May and the Southern Fried Chicks. Though May considers herself blue-collar, she does not work "blue."

"A lot of comics write a bit and then just add profanity and it will get a laugh, but if you have to cuss, is it really a brilliant joke?" she said. "Clean comedy appeals to more people."

May's upcoming appearance in Inverness is part of a new series of musical and comedy shows aimed at bringing quality entertainment to the region.

"I promote musicians and comedians in Nashville but have lived here in Citrus County for several years," said promoter Steve Pritchard, president of Pro Tours Events. "People around here usually have to drive an hour or more to see a show in Ocala or Tampa. I want to provide more entertainment options, closer to home."

Etta May, meanwhile, said she is looking forward to visiting the Crystal River region, which is known for its manatees.

"I think I'll go swimming with the manatees, just to feel better about my body," she quipped. "That's right, Etta May's going skinny dipping."

Learn more about Etta May by visiting EttaMay.com.

Etta May will perform at The Valerie Theatre, 207 Courthouse Square, Inverness, Florida, on Saturday, April 9 at 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. General admission tickets are $30. V.I.P. tickets are $99 and include seats in the first two rows, meal and drinks from Oscar Penn's in the fine dining tent, and an autographed photo. For more information, call 352-341-7850 or visit valerietheatre.org.