Hankerin' Hillbillies A Roaring Success!!
Drama club performs before packed houses

by Anne Sanderson
Wadena News
December 7, 2005

Members of Archerwill's amateur drama club were ready to put up their feet on Sunday night after hosting not one but three public performances this past weekend.

The fun got underway on Friday when the group got their first taste of success when, before a packed house, they performed their debut of "Hankerin' Hillbillies".  The evening began with a live jug band, complete with washtub and scrub board.  Their renditions of some old mountain favourites simply set the stage for things to come!

On Saturday night the chairs were filled again when about 160 people attended the second show, and the Sunday performance was at capacity as well.  Those who attended delivered rave reviews - a true tribute to this year's director Sheila Graham who not only single-handedly organized and directed the play, but also played the role of Ma Hereford.

The play was a hilarious two-act farce that did a great job of highlighting the talents of the actors.  It took place in a rural setting where a gentleman known as Pa Hereford (Bruce Hage) could be found trying to keep up with his five lovely daughters Freida (Julie Graham), Betty (Kim Hamill), Liza (Lisa Lupien), Maggie (Loralie Hamel) and Charlemaine (Karla Folstad).  Although he loved them dearly, their antics led him to sometimes wonder whether he should have given up on children and just raised puppies!

Perhaps their most eyebrow-raising antic was a raging sickness that Pa refers to as "The Hankerin'."  As the audience saw, the symptoms usually afflict young women shortly after puberty causing those who are afflicted to become consumed with the idea that they need to get hitched.  The Hereford girls were no exception, in fact they became so ill that it caused them to break into song, singing songs like Any Ol' Man'll Do, while they danced about the house.

Fortunately for Pa there was one exception - Charlemaine (Charlie) - who would rather read a good book than look for a man.  However, poor Pa was soon to find out that the old saying "never say never" actually has some merit.  For even Charlie was smitten with the dreaded sickness when a handsome government man who went by the name Marcus Slidell (Ryan Calder) showed up to buy land from the Herefords.  For Charlie, it was love at first sight.  Marcus, on the other hand, well let's just say it took him a little more convincing.

Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on who you talk to, the land Marcus wants to purchase was the same plot that the Herefords and the Guernseys have been feuding over for decades.  While Marcus tries to figure out what to do, Charlie figures she has to find some way to catch Marcus' eye, so she has Widder Perkins (Sharon Petersen), "The Black Widder" fix her up a love potion.

Whooo-eee!  After that, things really go crazy!  The daffy Bickle Sisters, Rosemary (Annette Kozak) and Parsley (Betty Schweitzer), think the Holler is about to be invaded.  The husband hunting Herefords and Guernseys try to snare government men right and left, and newspaper editors race to get the scoop on what's new with the feud.  

With hilarious hillbilly songs such as Thar's A Guv'mint Man in the Holler, She Has Waaaaayyys!, Ya Cain't Fight Love, and Fer True an' Fer Shore, the hysterical musical literally left the audience shaking with laughter and breathlessly admitting they had a rip-roarin' great time!

Others rounding out the cast included Cyrus Hereford (Kalvin MacDonald), Dandelion Blatch (Janice Martin), Saralee Poke (Lori Rohne), Maisey Hagan (Sharon Olafson), Jeanie Guernsey (Peggy Johnson, Janie Guernsey (Genene Zinger), Rose Guernsey Vivian Revoy), Pug Guernsey (Barb Hage), Matt (Sherwin Petersen), Alvin (DuWayne Lupien), Steve (Yves Martin), David (John Wilson), Zeke Guernsey (Rick Hamel), Luke Guernsey (Daryl Michaluk) and Chief Slattery (Phyllis Manyk) and of course the spell-binding young dancers (Shannon Harley, Paige Sintal and Taylor Lupien).

Sharon Head generously volunteered to be the prompter, and the actors were thrilled to have back with them Scott "Button Pusher" Young as soundman.  Scott, along with Matt Yobb, Rick Hamel and Bruce Hage spent several hours working on the sound system prior to the event.

With such a large cast it goes without saying that it could not be done without many helping hands and there were certainly many of those.  From the "hillbilly" decorating of the hall to the delicious meals that were served, it was indeed a great community effort.  All proceeds from the performances will go toward the operation of the Archerwill Community Centre.

The Archerwill Community Theatre Group would like to extend a special thank you to some kids who showed up to help read lines during rehearsals.  In particular, we would like to thank Kirstyn Moore, who was with us from the beginning.  She sometimes  played 6 and 7 parts a night, and did it all with a flair, imitating accents and movements perfectly.  The play simply could not have gone on with out her.  Thank you, Kirstyn!