“Dearly Beloved” Dinner Event

Dinner at La Margarita, followed by a production of “Dearly Beloved” will make up this year’s fundraiser.

Community theater provides many genres of art for the community, as well as wonderful opportunities for actors and artists of all kinds. The Sapulpa Community Theatre, founded in 1978 by John B. Clark and Wanda Lovelace, has been delighting audiences since its inception. The theatre’s 2007 fundraiser, a dinner event at La Margarita Mexican Restaurant, will take place August 9 through 12.

“Dearly Beloved,” the story of a dysfunctional family that bands together for a wedding, will be the featured production for this year’s annual fundraiser. “Dearly Beloved,” written by Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope and Jamie Wooten, is a two-act play. The cast features Linda McCormick as Honey Raye; Gina Lloyd as Twink; Jenny Thrownberry as Frankie; Christina Jenkins as twin sisters Tina Jo and Gina Jo; Sherry Whisman as Geneva, the wedding coordinator; Shawn West as Dub, Frankie’s husband; Donna Carter as Madam Nelda, the local psychic; Rob Harris as John Curtis, the highway patrolman; Todd Campbell as Wiley Hicks, Twink’s fiancé; Karyn Lee Maio as Patsy Price, mother of the groom and Matt Maynard as Justin Waverly, the UPS man.

Todd Campbell is the director of and participation actor in “Dearly Beloved.” Campbell says he particularly enjoys interacting with the audience due to the intimate setting of the theater. “We seat 85 people, and the front row is very close to the edge of the stage,” he says. “Audiences can’t help but become more involved in the production, and the actors really enjoy that aspect.”

“Sherry Whisman brought me into the world of community theater at the very start of my acting endeavors in 1995,” Campbell says. “Since then, I have been privileged to continue to work with Sherry and many other fine individuals on different projects. For example, we are lucky to have Terry Abell, who is a professional stagehand and is making his debut as assistant director on this production. The cast of ‘Dearly Beloved’ has really come together wonderfully.”

The Sapulpa Community Theatre has also featured works in the past by local and amateur writers. It provides an excellent venue for those who have a passion for the performing arts. The performance dates for “Dearly Beloved” are Thursday, August 9, through Sunday, August 12. The dinner begins at 7 p.m., followed by the “Dearly Beloved” at 8 p.m. on August 9, 10 and 11. A late lunch will be served at 1 p.m. on August 12, followed by the performance at 2 p.m. Tickets are $20 per person and do include the price of dinner. La Margarita is located at 1215 New Sapulpa Road.

For more information about the production of “Dearly Beloved” or the Sapulpa Community Theatre, call (918) 227-2169 or visit the website at www.sapulpatheatre.com. Sapulpa Community Theatre also has a page on MySpace. Get your tickets early for this year’s fundraiser.

For more inform­­ation, contact

Sapulpa Community Theatre

(918) 227-2169

www.sapulpatheatre.com