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Small town Texas. Really small town Texas. In fact, Tuna is the fictional third smallest town in the great state of Texas. But the citizens of Tuna are anything but small. Tuna is populated with a full cast of exaggeratedly stereotypical small-town (and somewhat small-minded) characters. “Greater Tuna” is a latest offering from the Baumholder Hilltop Theater in which two actors play 20 different characters (including men, women, children and a dog). With 46 quick costume changes, “Greater Tuna” offers fast-paced comedy for the entire family.
“Greater Tuna” portrays a day in the life of small-town America. The story centers on radio station OKKK and two radio disk jockeys, Arles Struvie and Thurston Wheeler, who broadcast headlines and news — that is, when they remember to turn on the transmitter. Tuna citizens pop in and out of the radio station with regularity, airing their concerns, giving their opinions and in one case, running for the city council.
Other characters include: Didi Snavely of Didi’s Used Guns and Knives; Harold Dean Lattimer, the weatherman whose forecasts include locust swarms, dust storms and tropical storms — all at the same time; Petey Fisk of the Greater Tuna Humane Society who seeks support for all types of animals — from the pet of the week to endangered scorpions; and Bertha Bumiller, card-carrying member of the Smut Snatchers of the New Order and matriarch of the ultimate dysfunctional family.
“Greater Tuna,” by Joe Sears and Jaston Williams, is the first of four plays set in Tuna, Texas. Since its first performance in 1981, Tuna has seen worldwide success playing to audiences on and off Broadway, at the Whitehouse, at Scotland’s Edinburgh Festival, and countless other venues around the world. Though the characters may seem concocted, most are actually based on real people known to the playwrights.
The cast of two, Eric Danzeiser and Tom Navo, bring all 20 characters and the town of Tuna to life with their support staff of director, lighting designer, sound designer, stage manager, costume designer and a crew of backstage dressers. The team includes active-duty Soldiers, Department of Defense civilians and Department of Defense Dependents Schools teachers from both the Baumholder and the Kaiserslautern military communities.
“Directing this play has been on my personal bucket list for a long time,” said director Johnny Mangum. “This is a play where the actors have to be on their toes every second. Tuna is pure comedy — though occasionally with a dark edge to it.”
“Greater Tuna” will be a Baumholder entry to the Tournament of Plays, a competition that includes entries from all over Europe with the awards ceremony on April 21 in Heidelberg, Germany.
Tuna opens at the Hilltop Theater today and Saturday and continues through two more weekends — April 6 and 7 and April 13 and 14. Tuna will be the first play to be performed at the new Hilltop Theater (the old self-help building beside the Burger King), Bldg. 8218, Avenue D, 55774 Baumholder.
For reservations, call the Hilltop Box Office at 485-7244. Opening hours are from 1 to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays. Tickets are also available at the door.
(by Cheryl Navo)
