Elk Lake performers head for the hills with comedy

BY MICHAEL J. RUDOLF

Good ol’ Southern hospitality ain’t nowhere to be found among the characters in “Hillbilly Hankerin’,” the spring drama production at Elk Lake High School.

But the cast and crew are sure fixin’ to bring y’all a heap o’ laughs.

“Hillbilly Hankerin’” is scheduled to be performed on Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. in the high school auditorium.

The story is set in a backwoods town which is the home of the Hereford family. Pa Hereford is concerned about his many daughters who all want to get married. (He calls it “the hankerin’”.) All but studious Charlemaine, who would rather read than hunt for men. That all changes when a government agent shows up, looking to buy land. Then it’s a free-for-all between the Herefords, the feuding Guernseys and other neighbor folk.

Dereck Swingle, who plays government agent Marcus Slidell, said the audience will have a good time with the play.

“It’s laugh-out-loud hilarious,” he said.

Swingle said he enjoys his character because it gives him a chance to be silly.

“He’s kind of the dumber side of government,” Swingle said.

The studious “Charlie” Hereford – who gets smitten by Slidell – is played by Danielle Sterner. She describes her character as someone who grows in emotion throughout the show.

“I love this character. It’s a lot of fun to play,” she said.

Like most of the actors, Sterner had to develop a stereotypical hillbilly accent for the role. She said that was easy.

“We actually picked it up kind of fast,” she said, adding that sometimes the actors forgot to drop the accent once rehearsal was over.

Playing the overbearing Pa Hereford is Cameron White.

“He protects his family. He’s just really stern,” White said of his character. “It’s mostly a lot of screaming.”

The matron of the Hereford family is played by Samantha Stevens.

“She’s very motherly and protective,” Stevens described. She said the character is very unlike herself in that she pushes people around a lot.

“I don’t mind being bossy. It’s really funny, too,” Stevens said.

Others in the cast include Rachel Sprout, Jackie Clark and Haley Skinner as the rest of the Hereford daughters; Doug Brooks as Pa’s silent brother Cyrus; Kyler DeGrote as Zeke, the head of the Guernsey family; Rachel Zayleskie, Sarah Shuren and Emily Burns as the Guernsey daughters; Curtis Spila, Kevin Burns and Chase Orlandini as government agents; Jessica MacDonald as “Black Widder” Perkins; Kelly Severcool as her assistant; Shanice Warner and Sarah Shuren as the busybody Bickle sisters; Kelly Severcool as mail carrier Dandelion Blatch, Natalie Newhart as nosy reporter Saralee Poke, and Kelly Severcool as the government agents’ chief.

Faculty adviser Ina Bradish is directing the performance. She believes the show will be very entertaining.

“It’s kind of reminiscent of the Hatfields and the McCoys, but a whole lot less violent,” she said.

Bradish said the story has twists and conflicts that seem to happen in a lot of families.

“I think people will relate to it,” she said.

Tickets for “Hillbilly Hankerin’” are $3 each, and are available at the door. They can also be reserved by calling 278-1106 extension 750.