"Beverly Hillbillies " opens tonight!
By Erich Murphy/Managing Editor
The Daily Leader - Pontiac, IL
It was dumb, bordering on stupid - an almost embarrassingly idiotic show. That was "The Beverly Hillbillies" on television.
The same can be said about the play production of "The Beverly Hillbillies" this weekend at Chautauqua Park, but for one more adjective - funny.
"The Beverly Hillbillies" is the final installment of the Vermillion Players' 2007 season. It will run tonight through Sunday at Chautauqua Park. The curtain will rise each evening at 7:30.
Those expecting to see the humor that was the television show will not be disappointed. It is there. What the members of the audience will experience is a two-hour stage version of the TV show without commercials (just a 15-minute intermission).
As far as the main characters go, the old favorites are quite prominent. Denny Read plays Jed Clampett, the amiable, easy-going patriarch who sells the family home in the Ozarks after oil is discovered on the property.
Granny Moses is the mother-in-law of Jed. Elaine Krupka plays the feisty and spry woman who likes to fish in the see-ment pond out back. Granny seems to have a bigger role as family leader on stage than on the TV show.
Elly Mae is still a tomboy who is strong as any boy. Tessa Kane gives a grand performance as the beautiful blonde teenager who is fighting Granny's wishes to become a woman.
Jethro is the one member of the family who has thrown himself into the Hollywood lifestyle. John Wyllie plays the awkward "playboy" who finds himself engaged to three girls at once.
One of those girls is not Jane Hathaway, which is different from the TV show. On TV, Miss Hathaway was smitten with Jethro, finding him irresistible. In this production, Miss Hathaway, played quite nicely by Alyssa Johnson, remains the faithful assistant to Mr. Drysdale, the bank president. Another difference is that Johnson is not the homely waif that Nancy Kulp.
Speaking Mr. Drysdale, he is nearly the same, sans the victim of many mishaps. His aim to get the Clampetts everything they need in order to keep them (and their money) in Beverly Hills (and in his bank).
Mrs. Drysdale is still the snobbish "blue-blood" who detests the Clampetts because of where they come from.
The Drysdales are played by Jim Wolfe and Roxie Gregory, who give their typical wonderful efforts. The Drysdales, particularly Mrs. Drysdale, are fun to watch as they try to cope with the not-so-sophisticated Clampetts.
The actual plot of the show does not arrive until late in the first act, when Emaline Fetty pays the Clampetts a visit. Emaline is supposed to have made her way to Beverly Hills from back home in the hills.
But this is not the real Emaline, she is a con artist. Kate Whitman plays the attractive and larcenous Emaline who "sets up" Jed Clampett with the aid of a camera inside a cuckoo clock. Whitman's performance was also an impressive effort. After seeing her, who wouldn't fall for her charms? Jethro certainly did.
The idea is to bilk the Clampetts for $1 million through a blackmail scheme. The pictures show Jed kissing Emaline.
The other partner in this scheme is Colonel Foxhall, played well by John Gahm. He takes the photos to Mr. Drysdale and informs the money-hungry banker that $1 million is required to keep the pictures of the papers.
Thus begins the chaos. As in the TV show, there are many little situations that take place that eventually foils the plan and has the Clampetts coming out on top in the end.
Despite the recent heat wave, the theater was comfortable and the play quite enjoyable. If there is a drawback, it was in the placement of two flower pots in the front of the main part of the stage. They created a wall and can draw the attention of the audience away from what is taking place behind them.
"The Beverly Hillbillies" was directed by Bob McKenzie, who also portrayed party-goer Mr. Oglethorpe. Mrs. Oglethorpe was played by Barbara Drummet, who also had second role. She was and enjoyable Cousin Pearl in the first scene.
John M. Gahm had three roles. The younger Gahm did well in his roles as oil engineer Brewster and, more so, as Det. Frank Richards. His third role was as a fireman but the appearance was brief. Jacob Dunham also played a fireman, as well as oil engineer George Turner.
Also appearing were Virginia Asper, Andrew Alsdorf, Beckah Gerber, Kayla Froelich and Cortney Eggenberger.
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