Redneck Comedy Play Invades Area

by Barry Shuck

This time of year most folks have already made their New Year’s resolutions. In February, that is usually the time that a lot of those good intentions slowly slip away.

While quitting smoking, losing weight and discontinuing the act of setting the neighbor’s cat on fire are all great pledges, having a pleasant time to enjoy the fruits of life can also be beneficial. The latest production for Panhandle Community Theatre relishes the idea of being peculiar, zany and having a good laugh with the animated redneck farce “Bubba, LIVE!” coming in February.

“There’s no hidden message in this play–no answer to life’s perplexing questions during the program broadcast,” said director Myra Shofner. “Each night of the production, the audience can expect a special brand of fun. Sometimes this is served up with a predictable helping of corn and a chance to interact with the world of fantasy.”

The premise of “Bubba, LIVE!” is a fictitious live radio morning show similar to Marty and Linda on WXBM, or Cat Country’s Brent and Dana. Even though several Bubba’s are nationally known, such as the Rick and Bubba radio show or America’s favorite, T. Bubba Bechtol, this radio show and the humor involved strike deep into the redneck psyche and constantly ask the question: Would 48” polished chrome rims look better on the tractor or the peanut harvester?

The “Bubba, LIVE!” radio show features madcap listener call-ins and wacky special in-studio guests; all of which have the redneck element of NASCAR loving, hunting and fishing good ole boys and the women who love to mistreat them. With a twist, the live radio audience is in reality the live theatre audience. And in doing so, the theatre patrons are pulled into the screwball fiasco and oftentimes become a part of the play itself.

“This play simply provides a kick-back, laugh hearty good time in which the play’s audience becomes the studio audience,” explained Shofner.

The show opens February 5-7 and 12-14 with evening performances at 7:30 pm while the Sunday matinee is at 2:30 pm. The theatre is located at 4626 Woodbine Road in Pace, Florida in the Storage Masters Center. Tickets are $12 with limited seating for each show. The reservation number is 850-418-5036 or 850-450-2566, and the email is myrashofner@aol.com. Panhandle Community Theatre is the same folks who for years have performed at the historic Imogene Theatre in downtown Milton, since partly razed by fire.

The script for “Bubba, LIVE!” centers around the local area and local events, and even a politician or two.

“It’s a tongue-in-cheek portrayal of this great part of the South,” offered Nelda Sorensen, who plays Merlene, one of the radio show hosts. “Being a true strong Santa Rosa redneck woman, I grew up here with lots of relatives in the area. I think one of the best parts of the play will be the audience recognition of places and events and their ‘out-loud reactions’ to the exaggerated portrayal of the real rednecks of the area.”

Other cast members include Jeremy Hosbein, Rick Ready, Barry Shuck, David Bohnke, Elisa Austin, Kit Bradley, Cliff Pressley, Nancy Sabol, Dave Cook, Gail Ready, Searra Steffen and Andy Wilkinson.