Greetings, Natchez and the Miss-Lou.

The summer is ending and fall is beginning. With that comes the Natchez Fall Pilgrimage and Natchez Little Theatre’s production of the Truman Capote eccentric Southern comedy, “The Grass Harp.”

Performances will run at 7:30 p.m. every Friday, Saturday, Monday and Wednesday throughout the Pilgrimage, which is Sept. 26 to Oct. 13.

There will be one Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. Oct. 12. All tickets for non-members of Natchez Little Theatre are $15 and should be reserved in advance by calling NLT at 601-442-2233 or visiting NLT’s website at natcheztheatre.org.

“The Grass Harp” is an original, offbeat, humorous play that seems completely irresponsible.

It has been gathered out of vagrant memories and turned into comedy. But he has something more than a frolic in mind, for the greater part of “The Grass Harp” is an idyll about the pure in heart who, like the meek, inherit the earth.

All the common impulses of the world are against the trio (Dolly Talbo played by Yvonne Murray, Collin Talbo played by John Elliot Ward and Catherine Creek played by Lisa Lewis) who find sanctuary in a tree house that they have discovered in the woods.

The avaricious sister, Verena Talbo, played by Judy Wiggins, is outraged. The whole town is shocked and angry, and an armed posse invades the woods to capture the traitors to society and march them back to civilization.

One of the deputy sheriffs, doing his duty, shoots Collin and wounds him. But “The Grass Harp,” being pure in heart itself, shows how much stronger the people of spirit are than the people of cant, discipline and selfishness. Their triumph is modest and humble, but it is unmistakable in a final scene written with great tenderness.

The remainder of the cast are portrayed by Edwin Ward as Judge Cool; Mike Thomas as Dr. Morris Ritz; ShuNaiqua Ellison as the Reverend’s Wife; Ananias Green as the Reverend; Michael Ware as the Barber; Janet McNeely as the Baker’s Wife; Karlyn Ritchie as the Postmistress; Wade Heatherly and Lee Dellinger as the Sheriff; Lindsey Lewis as the Choir Mistress; Bo Allen as Big Eddie Stover; Bailey Thompson and Hannah Hargis as Maude Riordan; Emily Hixon as Baby Love Dallas; and I play Brophy.

This has been an incredible cast to direct with the able assistance of Bo Allen. Layne Taylor designed the lighting and sound for the show that compliment my sets which were quite difficult to construct.

Lights and sound for the production will be run by Stacey Carden and Andrea Cater, members of NLT’s Board of Directors.

At 7 p.m. Thursday, there will be a benefit/preview performance for the Natchez Lions Club with $12 tickets.

Natchez Little Theatre is located at 319 Linton Ave. at Maple Street and the box office and auditorium open one hour prior to each performance.

I hope to see you at “The Grass Harp.”

 

Don Vesterse is the director of “The Grass Harp” and Natchez Little Theatre technical director.