CONWAY — Two actors playing 20 characters, all with costume changes, could surely result in gales of laughter. That’s what members of the cast of Greater Tuna will be counting on when they take the stage Friday night at the Conway Dinner Theater.
“This is a funny show,” said Dean Cato of Conway, artistic director of the Conway Dinner Theater, which is sponsored by the Faulkner Academy of Arts. He is also one of the two actors in the show.
Appearing with Cato will be Bill Meehan of Conway, who said, “I’m having a blast in this show.”
Friday’s opening of Greater Tuna, by Jaston Williams, Joe Sears and Ed Howard, will include dinner and a show. Dinner will be served at 6:15 p.m., followed by the show at 7.
Additional performances will be offered at 7 p.m. Saturday, a show=only performance, and again Dec. 19 and 20 and Dec. 26 and 27, with Dec. 26 being another show-only presentation.
Greater Tuna, described as a “comedic gem” on the Faulkner Academy of Arts website, www.faulkneracademyofarts.org, opened in Austin, Texas, in 1981. It starred two of its authors, Williams and Sears, and was directed by its third author, Howard. The show was presented Off-Broadway in 1982, where it ran for more than a year and then went on to tour major theaters for the next 30 years.
The local production is under the direction of Mike King of Conway, who is originally from central Illinois.
“Work brought me here,” he said. “I found out about this local theater and wanted to get involved. I’ve been involved in the theater, both [onstage] and offstage, for several years.”
King said he had never done Greater Tuna.
“It’s a different kind of show,” he said. “I have the easy part. The two actors and those who help with the costumes do all the work. All I do is sit back and laugh.”
Cato said the show is about “a day in 20 lives in Tuna, Texas.”
“It’s a comedy,” he said, “but there are some undertones that are pretty dark. They make fun of a lot of things.”
Dean said the two main characters, Arlis Struvie and Thurston Wheelis, begin their day as disc jockeys broadcasting from the 275-watt radio station OKKK. According to the FAA website, they introduce the audience to a variety of characters, including Bertha Bumiller, a card-carrying member of Smut Snatchers of the New Order; Petey Fisk, a devoted employee of the Greater Tuna Humane Society; and Didi Snavely, the owner of Didi’s Used Weapons, whose slogan is, “If we can’t kill it, it’s immortal.”
Cato, who has more than 25 years of experience as a performer, said he had never done this show.
“I’ve always wanted to,” he said. “I play 10 different characters, three of which are women. I am so happy to be back onstage.”
Cato recently directed the Junior Repertory Troupe of the Faulkner Academy of Arts in its debut production, The Many Reasons Not to Do a Play.
“That really went well,” he said. “It was wonderful working with three young people. We want to grow that program and have already picked up another student or two.”
Cato said there is “no protagonist, no antagonist, just 20 different characters in Greater Tuna. They appear in small vignettes, changing costumes some 30 times over the course of 1 1/2 hours. These scenes are all tied to what’s being broadcast on the radio.”
Cato said Greater Tuna has three sequels — A Tuna Christmas; Red, White and Tuna; and Tuna Does Vegas.
“Our plan — knock on wood — is to present one every December,” Cato said. “We are taking a chance on presenting Greater Tuna on Dec. 26 and 27, but that weekend after Christmas is typically one of the busiest movie weekends of the year.
“We are hoping that folks who have a house full of people will bring them to see our show here at Conway Dinner Theater,” he said. “It’s not a kids’ show; it does have some adult content. I’d rate it PG-13.”
Meehan, who moved to Conway from Florida about four years ago, has appeared in several productions at the Conway Dinner Theater, most recently in Arsenic and Old Lace.
“I’m really honored to be asked to play this part with Dean,” said Meehan, the son of the late Barbara Sanders, who worked with the Conway Dinner Theater and the Conway Women’s Chorus.
“My mother hooked me up with this community theater group,” he said.
“One of my characters in this play is a dog,” Meehan said.
“Before I moved here, I did some stand-up comedy,” Meehan said. “I’ve always been a class clown to a certain degree. Now I have lines to memorize. It’s nice to have the jokes written out for me.”
Keith Jones serves as the technical director of Greater Tuna, as well as for all productions at the Conway Dinner Theater.
Set design is by Lauren McHenry, who is a sophomore art student of Greg Hogan’s at Vilonia High School. She will paint a desert scene on the backdrop of the stage.
“She’s really excited about doing it,” Cato said. “Greg feels very confident that she will do a good job.”
The menu for the dinner theater is traditional Texas barbecue brisket with baked beans, coleslaw and pecan pie. Vegetarian and gluten-free options are available when requested with a ticket purchase.
Tickets are $27.50 for adults and $11 for children for the dinner and show, and $14 for adults and $5.50 for children for the show only.
For more information or to purchase tickets to Greater Tuna, call (501) 339-7401, email faulknerarts@yahoo.com or visit www.faulkneracademyofarts.org.
The Conway Dinner Theater is at the Faulkner Academy of Arts, 2201 Washington Ave. in Conway. Enter the theater from the Hutto Street side of the building. Joan Hanna is director of the Faulkner Academy of Arts, which also sponsors the Conway Women’s Chorus.