Wednesday, October 17, 2018

The Great American Trailer Park Christmas Musical

Slidell Little Theatre kicks off the holiday season with The Great American Trailer Park Christmas Musical. The show opens Friday, Nov. 16 and runs until Dec. 2.
Deborah Morell, Dan Toups, April Christian
Michael Graves, Angela Odom, and Christina Duffaut are
the cast for The Great American Trailer Park
Christmas Musical. Photo by Rick Sasnett. 
This Christmas musical returns to North Florida’s premiere fictitious mobile living community, Armadillo Acres. 
 Rick Sasnett the show’s director knew he wanted to direct the show after he read the script and listened to the music.
“It is an entertaining and funny musical that will leave our audience feeling happy, and it will let me showcase some of our talented performers,” Sasnett said.
The sequel to The Great American Trailer Park Musical finds the residents filled with beer and Christmas cheer, but there is one resident who despises Christmas, Darlene Seward. She is played by Christina Duffaut.
“The first time I listened to My Christmas Tin Toy Boy, I knew I wanted to play Darlene,” Duffaut said.
Darlene is Armadillo Acre’s resident Scrooge. She hates everyone and everything but after a freak accident, the residents discover a different side to Darlene.  A side she kept hidden.
“She tries to come off as someone who does not care, but deep down she is a much more complex and emotionally vulnerable character,” Duffaut said, “which is what I love about her.”
 While Duffaut is no stranger to SLT, her castmate Michael Graves is a relative newcomer. He recently played Oliver Warbucks’ servant Drake in the season opener, Annie.
Graves plays the redneck with a heart of gold and general handyman with numerous part-time jobs, Rufus Jeter.
“The comedic element infused throughout the show is what pulled me to this production,” Graves said.
The story is a campy trailer park Christmas found in tabloids. It is seedy and charming but full of compassion, he said.
Duffaut and Graves are joined by Dan Toups, Deborah Morell, April Christian, Angela Odom and SLT’s rock band Roadkill Ruckus.
            Tickets are available to SLT members and tickets for the general public will be available on Nov.2  For more information go to www.slidelllittletheatre.org.