Daddy's Dyin' Who's Got The Will?

From Left: Ryan Rowe: (Harmony Rhodes) Carol Gibson: (Mama Wheelis) Kathe Rowe : (Marlene Turnover) Margaret Tingwall: (Lurlene Turnover Rogers) Kathy Coverdale: (Evalita Turnover) Ed Logue: (Orville Turnover) Dave Foscue: (Buford Turnover) Debbie Running: (Sara Lee Turnover)

Hilarious "Daddy's Dyin' (Who's Got the Will?)" opens at Driftwood

By Micki Colwell

Daily World correspondent

"Daddy's Dyin' (Who's Got the Will?) is a fast paced comedy that will have you roaring one minute and touched the next. The colorful characters at first, appear to be caricatures but gradually turn into real people you care about.

The action takes place in a small Texas town as the family gathers to await the imminent death of their patriarch, Buford Turnover. However, it's not the story of the impending demise of the father or the drafting of his will, but of a rebirth of the spirit of the family. Although the siblings are all grown, they easily slide into their former squabbling childhood roles and begin to probe the saying, "you can pick your friends but not your relatives."

Director Jane Hansen, a talented director as well as actress, is celebrating her 11th year with the Driftwood Players. Hansen has a knack for selecting shows that not only deal with real-life problems with humor but offers the actors bigger-than-life characters to portray. She has a terrific eye for detail---from the sets to her characters---and brings the best out of her cast. Susan Straka is her assistant director.

Patriarch Buford Turnover is played by Dave Foscue, who began his Driftwood career in 1990 with the play "Twelve Angry Men." Foscue continues to successfully recreate whatever character role he is handed. This play is no exception, as he slips in and out of reality with his children, even though the stage is a far cry from Foscue's hobby of horseback riding (he recently completed a trek of the entire Pacific Crest Trail). By day, the actor is known as the Honorable Judge Foscue.

Veteran actress Margaret Tingwall is comfortable doing high drama, musicals or comedy and slips her characters on like a glove. In this play, she portrays Lurlene, the church lady, with sensitivity and insight as she tries to work through past hurts and misundersstandings.

Evalita, described as trailer-trash who collects husbands like new pairs of shoes, is expertly played by Kathy Coverdale. Although this is her first Driftwood production, Coverdale has played many colorful characters with the Grayland Players and is obviously enjoying every minute of this outrageous character.

Sara Lee, played by Debbie Running, is just as sweet as her name and is the sibling who stays behind to take care of the parents and continues to be the strong, dependable one. Running, who has acted in just three other Driftwood productions over the past 12 years, makes each of her roles memorable with her comfortable use of timing and body language.

Ed Logue portrays the obnoxious "good ol' boy" Orville, with high energy and lots of pizzazz. This is quite a change for an actor who usually plays the male lead, but Logue is more than up to the task. I wouldn't be surprised if he's in the running for the "Ham-of-the-Year" award.

Kathe Rowe, Orville's much-neglected wife, is delightful as she discovers her recent weight loss has given her more self-esteem and she begins to take charge of her life and stands up to Orville. Rowe is fairly new to the Driftwood stage but not to community theater and is a strong counterpart to her husband, Orville.

Strong supporting performances are also turned in by Ryan Rowe, who plays Evalita's boy-toy Harmony, and Carol Gibson who plays Mama Wheelis.

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	Pictures by Jones Photo Co.