Greetings, Natchez and the Miss-Lou! Spring has sprung and its azalea season at Natchez Little Theatre, where we are ready to present the 56th anniversary production of the classic 1950s romantic comedy about Natchez and the Pilgrimage, “Southern Exposure.” Performances are at 7:30 p.m. every Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday throughout the Spring Pilgrimage March 5 through April 2, with a final Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. March 3. There will not be a performance on Easter Sunday. Tickets are $15 and should be reserved by calling the Natchez Little Theatre, located at 319 Linton Ave. at Maple Street at 601-442-2233, toll free at 1-877-440-2233 or purchase on-line at natcheztheatre.org.

“Southern Exposure” had its Natchez premiere in 1951 and has been an annual part of the Pilgrimage since 1963, with over 2,000 performances for 55 years and an audience of well over 400,000.

“Southern Exposure” has an exciting cast of veterans and newcomers making up two casts. Penelope Mayweather, the owner of Mayweather Hall is played by award-winning actress, Morgan Mizell; Avery Randall, Penelope’s banker/cousin is played by Tam Winston; Kaytlyn Walker portrays tour guide Mary Belle Tucker; Jonathan Douglas, a.k.a. John Salguod, is played by Stacey Carden and Dwight Williams; Penelope’s young cousin, Carol Randall is Katie Borum and Kaye Stucky; and Carol’s domineering mother, Emmeline, is played by veteran actresses Leigh Anne Mason and Yvonne Murray. Appearing as Australia, Miss Penelope’s hilarious housekeeper, is Sara Davis and Alisha Solano. I am playing Benjamin Carter, John’s New York publisher and some of the tourist roles for all performances.

Playing the multitude of tourists who wreak havoc on Mayweather Hall and Miss Penelope are Sarah Freeman Carey, Courtney Fleming, Gay Guercio, Tim Leak, Lynn Mann, Trashone Mayes, Micah Riggs and Karlyn Ritchie. Rusty Jenkins made his NLT directing debut with this production and cast the show. I stepped in as director of the production after Rusty became critically ill and had to be hospitalized. I designed and constructed the sets. Courtney Fleming is my assistant director, and the lights and sound are being run by John Borum, Stacey Carden and Layne Taylor.

Not many communities are as fortunate as Natchez is to have such a delightfully, popular play written about them. NLT’s greatest compliment is the large numbers of patrons, both local and from around the country that return year after year to see the subtle changes to the production that keep it fresh, entertaining and the audiences rolling in the aisles. And the changes that Rusty has made are hilarious! We are thrilled to report that Rusty is now recovering at home!

So, come celebrate the Natchez Tricentennial and NLT’s 68th Season production of “Southern Exposure!”

Hope to see you there.

 

Don Vesterse is the co-director of “Southern Exposure.”