HC Performing Arts Center to present "Funeral Gardens"

If you have ever been a mother or if you have ever had a mother, have we got a show for you! Opening June 6-10 at the Henderson County Performing Arts Center is the latest play from local playwright, Robin Haynie. Funeral Gardens is a funny and touching look at one family working out old conflicts and family inside jokes across the backdrop of family funerals.

As the play opens, family matriarch, Ester Daniels (RoseMarie Waggoner) and her loyal youngest daughter Patty (Mary Endres) are waiting out the last few moments of family visitation before the funeral of wacky great-aunt Ellie. They anticipate the arrival of big sister Charlotte (played by the author). Charlotte avoids conflicts with her controlling mother by hiding out in Houston until family funerals force her home to visit. Throughout these visits we see that the people that love you the most know best how to get under your skin. They also know how to make you laugh the hardest.

Haynie said, "It was important for me to make these women real. They are fun, crazy, loving, infuriating southern characters, not caricatures. I placed the characters in fictional Glanton, Texas, a town not unlike Athens. I used my own family as a jumping off point for certain characters and situations. But I hope people will recognize their own family in the play."

In an inspired bit of casting, Haynie and Endres's real-life daughters, Tess Haynie and Emily Endres, play young Charlotte and Patty in hilarious flashback scenes. The brave director, Dennis Gilmore claims, "It's true that girls turn into their mothers. You see real evidence of that here."

The show runs Wednesday, June 6 through Saturday, June 9 at 7:30 p.m. with a 2:00 p.m. matinee on Sunday the 10th.

"We are hoping for good crowds to support this new work by a talented local writer. Aside from some language it is a clean show that should make you laugh and cry," said Gilmore. The production is rated PG-13 and is part of our Black Box Series. Tickets are $12 each and $8 for students. Group discounts of $10 a ticket are given for groups of ten or more. Call 903-675-3908, ext. 201 for reservations.