BWW Interviews: THE RED VELVET CAKE WAR Cast Discuss the Fluffy and Fufilling Comedy

Imagine the worst, most awkward family reunion you have ever attended......and then count yourself lucky, because the Verdeen family reunion in the upcoming comedy The Red Velvet Cake War at the Old Opera House, directed by Will Heyser, will make your worst family reunion look like a paradise, with plenty of laughs along the way.

The three Verdeen cousins could not have picked a more inconvenient time for the annual family reunion. The small town gossips in the little Texas town have had their fill of this crazy family and literally, the success of the reunion is the only factor to prove the sanity of some of the family members to a court-appointed psychologist! Of course, everything that could go wrong will go wrong, with lots of hilarious consequences and of course, a battle to reveal which family member really does bake the best red velvet cake.

"One thing that's quite rare about this play is the number of laughs per page, or the LPP. Even the auditions were hilarious!" said Bruce Olson, who plays Aubrey Verdeen.

The Red Velvet Cake War also continues a series of plays performed at the Old Opera House by playwrights Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope and Jamie Wooten.

"This show continues a storyline that was established in other works by these same playwrights that we have done at the Old Opera House before. This show doesn't use the same characters, but it refers to places and people from the other plays. Anyone who saw Southern Hospitality, Christmas Belles or Dearly Beloved will recognize some names and places" said Christine Brewer, who plays Gaynelle Verdeen Bodeen.

Though the comedy is fluffy and filling as actual red velvet cake, the heart of the show is about the family antics.

"Even with the over the top comedy, there is a heart to the story. It is fun, silly and heartwarming at the same time. Audiences may even see some of their family in the Verdeen clan's antics" said Brewer

"It's a wonderful thing during rehearsals to experience relative strangers become relatives" added Olson.

The Red Velvet Cake War cast also features Ellen Nichols as Cee Cee Windham, Eileen Elliott as La Merle Verdeen Minshew, Amy Hebb as Jimmie Wyvette Verdeen, Carey Perkins as Peaches Verdeen Belrose, Heather Eney as Bitsy Hargis, Rico Massiminio as Newt Blaylok, Richard Hamstead as Sherriff Grover Lout, Karen Paone as Elsa Dowdall, Winky Francis as Mama Doll Hargis and Lee Hebb as Purvis Verdeen.

The Red Velvet Cake War will run March 14, 15, 16, 21, 22 and 23 at the Old Opera House, located at 204 N. George Street, Charles Town, WV. Friday and Saturday performances are at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday matinee performances are at 2:30 p.m.. Tickets are reserved. Please call 304-725-4420 or visit www.oldoperahouse.org to make reservations.

Photo Credit: Old Opera House

 

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