Lamplighter Theatre Performing 'Daughters of the Appalachians'

The Lamplighters Community Theatre recently made the following announcement:

Lamplighters Community Theatre will present a staged reading of “Daughters of the Appalachians,” a play by Linda Goodman, at 8 p.m. April 25, April 26 and April 27, at its new theater at 5915 Severin Drive, La Mesa. This will be the theater’s first presentation since it went dark in 2006.

“We are thrilled to offer this warm and funny play,” said Mark Loveless, Lamplighters’ president and artistic director.

This show was an enormous hit at PowPAC (Poway’s Community Theatre) several years ago and could have run for a month based on the show’s popularity.

“Why Daughters of the Appalachians”? We wanted to present a readers theater that was entertaining, that was funny, good-natured and compelling. We believe we  have it in this reading," he added. “Daughters of the Appalachians” has been performed to standing ovations and sold-out crowds around the country, but this is the first time it has been performed in this area.

This play portrays the lives of six unique women, drawn from insights and stories culled from Goodman's family and the community of her southwestern Virginia childhood mountain roots, each character offering a glimpse of the Appalachian culture that is fast fading away. It is funny, it is sad, it is hilarious.

Says Goodman, author/story teller/playwright.  

“I was born into a culture that is fading away. I feel an obligation to keep that culture alive in my stories.”

She aims “to people my stories with Southern Appalachian characters of intelligence and integrity. This country has a stereotype of a Southerner who is slow and unintelligent. My stories seek to dispel that stereotype. 

The six women?

“Meet Harlene, whose dog is both her anchor and her best friend, Boojie, whose star-crossed lover changed her life, Nellveda Hawkins, who may or may not be the devil incarnate, Sara Jane, a woman who understands true beauty, Jessie, who should have been more careful what she wished for and Martha Potter, a woman ruled by simple truths. As you share their joys and sorrows, these women will touch your soul and live in your heart,” Goodman explains.

“We have assembled an incredible cast of actors,” Loveless said. The cast includes Michelle Burkhart, Leslie Drew, Jane Harris, renee levine, Fran Marsh and Raylene  J. Wall.”

Tickets for each performance are $10. Seating is open.

Lamplighters is located at the La Mesa Village Center, at 5915 Severin Drive, Severin and Amaya drives.

Construction of Lamplighters auditorium and mainstage will begin shortly and hopefully will be completed before July 1, In the interim, Lamplighters will offer a series of staged readings in an area that is suitable for the productions

Loveless explained that this, and two other staged readings will be offered within the next two months as a warm-up to the theater group’s new season. The official opening will be in July and will begin with a lavish musical salute to Lamplighters and the musicals the group has presented over the past 75 years.  The exact show, dates and times, will be announced  later, he said.

For reservations, call the box office at 619-286-3685.