Finke Theatre to stage ‘Southern Fried Funeral’

The cast of the Finke Theatre's production of "Southern Fried Funeral" prepare for their opening on Friday, June 10, 2022. Actors (front - left to right) Jassiah Smith, Evy McGill, Isabelle Allen, (back - left to right) Ronnie Korte, Dennis Donley, Andy Korte, Andrea Knipp, Lori Porter, Dyan Ingram, Nathaniel Donley and Pauline Summey rehearse daily as the date approaches. (Submitted photo)
The cast of the Finke Theatre's production of "Southern Fried Funeral" prepare for their opening on Friday, June 10, 2022. Actors (front - left to right) Jassiah Smith, Evy McGill, Isabelle Allen, (back - left to right) Ronnie Korte, Dennis Donley, Andy Korte, Andrea Knipp, Lori Porter, Dyan Ingram, Nathaniel Donley and Pauline Summey rehearse daily as the date approaches. (Submitted photo)


CALIFORNIA, Mo. -- Ronnie Korte will return as the director of the Finke Theatre's latest production Friday and Saturday.

Adapting the play "Southern Fried Funeral," Korte will lead her cast and crew to act out a story all too relatable for audiences. She said the story focuses on a Mississippi family that loses its patriarch, Dewey, and the chaos that unfolds as everybody comes home for the funeral.

Korte said she and her cast have been working hard to make sure they are ready for the production. They started with one practice a week in February and have slowly eased into one practice per day as they approach closer to Friday's opening.

The production is a big commitment for the cast as local actors and actresses are tasked with balancing their personal lives with their performances on stage. However, she is confident seeing the strong performances her actors and actress continue to turn in.

She is happy to see so many individuals take an interest in community theater, especially young people. She said the best way to keep the arts alive is by giving the younger generation as many opportunities as possible.

"We struggle with the amount of arts that is left out of school now and this may be their only opportunity to do that, in community theater," Korte said. "We're lucky that we have a beautiful theater ... lots of kids in rural America are having to go outside of the school to be able to express their creativity. We've had kids painting the set and doing set design in town this year, all the way up to (working as) backstage hands. (From) helping with the actors off stage to actually being on stage."

On the other end of the spectrum, there are also older performers making their way onto the stage for the first time. Dyan Ingram will be assuming her first acting role for the play. Not only as a cast member but also as the production's lead, Sammy Jo Frye-Lefette.

A school teacher who moved to the area from the state of California, Ingram has a history of directing productions for her students, Korte said. Seeing an opportunity for herself, this year Ingram made the leap from instructor to actress as she acquired the lead role in the production.

"It's fun to see her grow and the same with the kids that have never been on stage," Korte said. "It's really fun to watch (and) it gives everybody an opportunity to express their artistic abilities and have a good time."

The full cast for the play includes Dyan Ingram, Lori Porter, Jassiah Smith, Andy Korte, Nathaniel Donley, Dennis Donley, Isabelle Allen, Evy McGill, Pauline Summey, Andrea Knipp and Ronnie Korte.

Working on the production showed Korte just how rewarding putting a play together can be. She said it's fun watching her cast and crew grow together as a family. She said when work begins with auditions, everybody can seem a little distant from each other but by the end of the production, they open up and become much closer.

"I would say that every time I'm always so impressed with the small-town talent," Korte continued. "I always struggle in the beginning, hoping that we can put together a good show for the community. Then whenever we start doing rehearsals, I'm always so surprised with the person that ends up really coming out of their shell and really entertaining the audience. I've always learned something about people."

She said sponsors for the Finke Theatre's production of "Southern Fried Funeral" include Earl and Marj Friedmeyer, RG Green Petroleum Consulting and California Veterinary Clinic.

Doors will open at 6:15 p.m. Friday and Saturday with each show beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets for the show can be either acquired through the theatre's website at www.finketheatre.com or the door. Audiences can also buy tickets for the production livestream if they are unable to attend in person.