“Carol Burnett” comes to OCP

If you’re in the mood for a little nostalgia, check out the Orange Community Players’ offering of “A Salute to The Carol Burnett Show.”

Directed by Kevin Doss, the production has many of your favorite characters and skits from the original show. Intermingled with the comedy vignettes are performances from some of the great stars of the past: Momma Cass, Donny and Marie, Elton John and Captain and Tenelle to name a few.

They did not have a single person playing each actor/actress such as Carol Burnett, Tim Conway or Vickie Lawrence. Instead, Doss assigned different actors in each skit that were the best for that particular part. The cast includes: Janet Bland, Rachel Brady, Joshua Cuccio, Deah Daigle, DeeDee Howell, Ariel Killian, Wyatt Plunkett, Nolan Thornal, Codie Vasquez and ‘Rico Vasquez.

It was a hilarious performance that had all the campy fun of the original show. Of course there was Burnett’s take on soap operas, “As the Stomach Turns;” the legendary “Gone withthe Wind” spoof (minus the curtain rod, but with the curtains); Momma’s Family; Tudball and Wiggins; and of course the cleaning lady.

Doss said he was getting reservations from groups as large as 10 that are making a night of it, going out to eat, and then coming to the show for a night of reminiscing

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“I’m hearing newvoices that I don’t recognize,” said Doss about messages on the answering machine.

Howell is always a hoot, and actually looked like Burnett and Lawrence on stage. Bland cut her comedy teeth in the many “Nunsense” productions that were always directed by the late Jeff Hattman. We watched ‘Rico Vasquez and Killian grow up on the OCP stage into fine adult actors. I appreciated the maturity that Killian showed in this production. ‘Rico’s mom, Codie Vasquez has spent many years on the OCP stage. I really got a kick out of the skit where mom and son played husband and wife, living off welfare. Daigle was over the top as a teenage tramp in an episode of “As

the Stomach Turns.” I have seen Thornal in a couple of musical numbers before, but it was the first time to witness performances by Brady, Cuccio and Plunkett. They all did an excellent job and I loved Cuccio’s recreation of the Tim Conway “shuffle.”

Not many places you can get this much fun for only $12. For students the cost is $5.

You still have three chances to catch the show: Thursday, Aug. 23, Friday, Aug. 24 and Saturday, Aug. 25. As always, the curtain goes up at 7:37p.m.

Call 409-882-9137 for reservations. The theater is located at 708 W. Division Ave. in Orange.