Mountain Community Theater is proud to present a black comedy about white trash, Sordid Lives, by Del Shores, directed by Hannah Eckstein. The production opens at Ben Lomond’s historic Park Hall, 9400 Mill Street, on Friday, September 21, and continues on weekends through Sunday, October 14. Friday and Saturday performances are at 8:00 p.m. Sunday matinees are at 2:00 p.m. (no Sunday matinee on September 23). Thursday, September 27 at 8:00 pm is Community Night, with two tickets for $20.00. For all other performances, General Admission tickets are $20.00, Students and seniors are $17.00. There will be a champagne reception after the show on opening night. There will be a special talk back with the cast and director after the Sunday matinee on September 30. The performance is rated PG-13, and contains adult language and subject matter that may not be suitable for young children. Tickets will be available to the public at www.brownpapertickets.com.
The winner of 14 DramaLogue Awards, including Best Production, Sordid Lives tells a wild and wooly family story about acceptance, and just being who you are – which is saying a lot for these characters. This colorful family from a small Texas town comes to grips with the accidental death of the elderly matriarch during a clandestine meeting in a seedy motel room with her much younger, married neighbor. A legless Vietnam vet, a transvestite obsessed with Tammy Wynette, an over-sexed therapist, and an ex-con bar singer are just a few of the hilarious characters trying to get ready for what could be a very embarrassing funeral.
Sordid Lives was also a 2000 independent film, written and directed by Del Shores, and starring Olivia Newton-John, Beau Bridges, Delta Burke, and Bonnie Bedelia. The film was followed by the 2008 television series Sordid Lives: The Series.
The cast comprises both MCT favorites and newcomers to MCT, including Albert Kent as Wardell, Donna Young as Sissy, David Leach as Brother Boy, Shireen Doyle as Latrelle, Dave Halper as Odell, Jocelyn McMahon-Babalis as Noleta, Chris Rich as G.W., Le Ann Gray as La Vonda, Tiffany Lee Cesarin as Dr. Eve, Maxwell Bjork as Ty, Alie Mac as Bitsy Mae, and Robin Lasser as Juanita.
Director Hannah Eckstein has starred in several MCT productions including Harvey, The Secret Affairs of Mildred Wild, and Other Desert Cities, and directed many productions in Los Angeles before moving to Santa Cruz.
Mountain Community Theater is Santa Cruz County’s longest continuously running community theater company. MCT is a member-run non-profit organization that derives its support primarily from performance proceeds, charitable donations, and royalties from its script, Miracle on 34th Street, the Play.
