The Dover Community Theatre is currently presenting Smoke on the Mountain in the old High School building, or Annex, as it is called today (110 Natcor Drive) in Dover, TN. Tickets are $5.00 and can be purchased at the door. There are two shows remaining one on Saturday night at 7:00pm, and Sunday at 2:00pm. So get on out to Dover and see this unforgettable show before it is too late!
Smoke on the mountain takes place in 1938 at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in Mount Pleasant, North Carolina. The play presents a Saturday night Gospel sing, featuring the Sanders Family in their first night back on the gospel circuit in five years. When you boil it down this show is about having hope and faith, and of course fellowship. Things to which I think we can all relate.
Pastor Oglethore, a young and enthusiastic minister who has enlisted the Sanders Family in his efforts to bring his tiny congregation into the “modern world.” Opening night jitters combined with the disdain of a pair of spinsters who are the church’s chief benefactors, keep the evening on the verge of chaos. Between songs, the family members “Witness,” or tell personal stories that relate to their trials of faith.
Art Conn handles the direction for the show, and he did a great job with it. The casting was perfect, every cast member was appropriate for their role, and you could believe that the Sanders family was indeed all members of the same family. The members of the congregation were stereotypical church going southerners.
The costumes used in this show are simple but as this show was set in a Baptist Church in late 1930’s so I think that was intentional.
Smoke on the Moutain features twenty-seven bluegrass gospel songs. The musical direction for this production was handle by Dan Dill. While all of the songs will have the audience taping their feet, my favorite number was the title song Smoke on the Mountain. You can sample some of the songs from the McCarter Theatre Player’s album below:
As as you can see the music is quite catchy, and you can buy the album on CD! Musicians in the performance include Tanner McIntyre on Banjo, Gracie Wallace on the Fiddle, and Shawn Wallace on Guitar.
Rev. Oglethorp was played by Alex Syler. He kinda reminds me of Neal Patrick Harris in this performance, Neal is a great actor, and the same can be said for Alex. During the show Alex shamelessly flirts with the Sanders sisters June (Mary Beth Smith) and Denise (Marie Young) as he tries to keep control of the service.
Denise’s most memorable moment is when she has a monologue relating the story of a young girl seeking something more than her simple life, and how that ends up in disappointment. June was simply amazing in the sheer number of instruments she played during the performance, and it’s always very cool when someone knows the American Sign Language. Vera’s (Vicki Morton) June Bug monologue is something to see.
While the congregation doesn’t have any speaking lines in the show, their backup singing along with their reactions to the action on stage set the atmosphere for the performance. Without them the audience would miss so much.
I am not generally someone who forms preconceived notions, but after watching this production I can truthfully say I had to get rid of some. I was pleasantly surprised at the skill and professionalism demonstrated by this small town community theatre group, and I look forward to seeing more of their work over the coming years!
Cast
- Rev. Oglethorpe – Alex Syler
- June Sanders – Mary Beth Smith
- Vera Sanders – Vicki Morton
- Burl Sanders – Joe Wojtkiewcz
- Denise Sanders – Marie Young
- Dennis Sanders – Russell Qualls
- Stanley Sanders – Drew Scholes
- Miss Maud – Delilah Dare
- Miss Myrtle – Charlotte Corday
Musicians
- Banjo – Tanner McIntyre
- Fiddle – Gracie Wallace
- Guitar – Shawn Wallace
Backup Singers
- Don Bailey
- Judy Birney
- Dan Griggs
- Denise Moore
- Joanna Bailey
- Paul Birney
- EvaLinda Hays
Crew
- Producer – Martha Parker
- Director – Art Conn
- Musical Director – Dan Dill
- Assistant to the Director – Dee Reynolds
- Costumes – Marie Young
Acknowledgment
Ceder Valley United Methodist Church, Eagle Loop House of Prayer, First Christian Church, Fort Donelson United Methodist Church, Lockhart Chapel United Methodist Church, Spring Hill United Methodist Church, Steve Wold, Dale Wayrynen Recreation Center, Dane Reynolds, and Ad One Advertising
Photo Gallery
