Even with a reduced seating capacity and masks and social distancing because of COVID-19, actress Naomi Fleetwood-Pyle figures some live entertainment is far better than none at a time when she feels people need some relief.
“So many people have been mostly at home for so long, and Christmas is a season that I really love,” she said. “And a lot of people really have enjoyed this before.”
“This” refers to Actors Theatre of Hope’s annual Christmas Variety Show that she has produced and directed the past few years for sellout crowds at Willow Leaves of Hope on the historic Hope town square. A new, two-act, two-hour dinner theater show set for Saturday and Sunday at the restaurant includes a comedy sketch that Fleetwood-Pyle wrote and stars in with Trevor DeWitt, plus dance, music, standup comedy, improv, and more among a host of her theater friends.
The woman who has helped put small-town theater on the map in a big way figures that if you can’t completely cancel Christmas, then neither can you completely ditch all the public festivities surrounding it, and the joy those elements bring. She understands that many people have struggled and worried through recent months with the pandemic.
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And she yearns to provide a small respite from all that while allowing simple season’s greetings to help audience members to reset their focus.
“If when we are finished, people can walk out of there with a smile on their face, then we have done our job,” she said.
Fleetwood-Pyle figures that local comic actors Pete Law and Cori Brod alone can make that happen with their improv.
“Cori’s facial expressions alone can make you laugh,” she said.
Plus, there will be singers such as McKenna Hall presenting holiday classics, and Jan Tatlock’s clean standup act often featured at area venues such as The Pixy Theatre in Edinburgh. Given the show’s focus, Tatlock estimates that most of her two comedy sets will be holiday-centric.
So are her holidays funny?
“Oh, I think you can make almost anything funny, if you try,” Tatlock said.
Fleetwood-Pyle sees the past shows’ success, especially with older ticket buyers, as understandable.
“First of all, I think this is popular with them partly because of all the old-time variety shows that used to be on TV such as Carol Burnett, Red Skelton, and Jackie Gleason,” the producer/director said. “And a lot of people like the idea of not knowing exactly everything they might be getting (in a show). They do simply just enjoy the literal variety.”
“It’s a lot different entertainment than presenting a play.”
Plus, from a production standpoint, she acknowledged that the many separate parts actually serve as an aid during the pandemic age in which so much safe distancing is required. For instance, her own comedy sketch involves only one other person, and a number of other acts are solitary performers.
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What: Actors Studio of Hope’s annual Christmas Variety Show dinner theater.
When: 7 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.
Where: Willow Leaves of Hope at 325 Jackson St. on the Hope town square.
Tickets: $30 per person, including dinner, dessert and the show.
Information and reservations: 812-546-0640.
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