Smoke on the Mountain

A Musical Comedy by
Connie Ray
Conceived by Alan Bailey

Directors - Jackie Carpenter & Barb Worth

 Theatregoers are in for a surprise when the Sanders family pulls into the Mount Pleasant Baptist Church one hot June night in 1938. The good Rev. Mervin Oglethorpe isn't quite ready for their whip-quick Bible quotes and their down-home gospel music. Furthermore, their "dancin'" doesn't sit well with the Baptist puritans, who believe dancin' is as big a sin as drinkin' alcohol.

In between rollickin', faith-filled ditties, each member of the Sanders family shares whimsical vignettes of their life -- much to the surprise of Rev. Oglethorpe and the other family members. The Sanders parents are shocked to find out their brother Stanley knows what beer smells like, and he likes it; and that their daughter went to Charlotte to be the next Scarlett O'Hara.

"Smoke" is a mountain of fun, blending cracker-barrel humor with Christian sweetness and gentle satire. Set during the time of the Great Depression in rural North Carolina, this musical shows how simple folks enjoy the fruits of life. It finds humor in a family of zealous Baptists without poking fun at religion or demoralizing Southerners. "Smoke" comes from the same mold as shows like "Oil City Symphony" and "Pump Boys and Dinettes."

Most of the music is directly from gospel hymns with a few originals thrown in by Alan Bailey. With southern-fried flavor, kitschy-gospel songs such as "I'm Using My Bible for a Roadmap," "When the Roll is Called Up Yonder" and "I'll Never Die (I'll Just Change My Address)" keep the audience laughing and clapping for more.

Friday & Saturday, October 27 & 28, 2000
Dinner at 7:00 pm - Show at 8:00 pm

Sunday, October 29, 2000
Show Only at 2:00 pm

Friday & Saturday, November 3 & 4, 2000
Dinner at 7:00 pm - Show at 8:00 pm

Cutty's Okoboji Resort Club