KRISTEN M. RADFORD - Daily Herald | Posted: Wednesday, July 11, 2007 11:00 pm
Jody Renstrom just wants to have a little clean fun.
At least that's the idea behind the Valley Center Playhouse in Lindon.
For more than 30 years now, Renstrom and her husband have been offering family-oriented entertainment to Utah Valley.
"Possum City, USA" is no different. Written by Renstrom herself, the play is a hillbilly comedy filled with slapstick humor and lively music, and nothing that will leave anyone blushing.
"There aren't a lot of really good clean plays out there," Renstrom said. "So when I was teaching, I refused a lot of plays because of dirty [content], and just decided to write my own."
That was a decision that has proved successful, especially this year.
Of the 10 plays that the Valley Center Playhouse will produce this year, eight were written by Renstrom. But even with such a wealth of plays under her belt, Renstrom still labels "Possum City, USA" one of her favorites.
"It's just a lot of fun the whole time and kind of a little mini-Broadway production," she said. "By intermission, everyone is laughing."
The play is the story of Ralph Ratcliff, a popular boy who comes to Possum City looking for a new act for the Grand Ole Opry. To his surprise, he finds that Possum City is full of talent -- and a whole lot of silliness. The play was inspired in part by the fun and silly antics of Daisy Mae and Li'l Abner, comic strip characters that Renstrom saw depicted in a play years ago.
"I just thought, oh this is so much fun to watch these hillbilly folk, and it's so fun and full of life and energy and toe-tapping music, and I thought I'd really like to write my own," she said.
But Renstrom couldn't use the same character names, so she thought of her own: Lulla Dawn, Ella Mae and Peaches Monroe are just a few of the endearing characters audiences will meet in "Possum City, USA."
The production is now open and will run through Aug. 6. An hour and a half of hillbilly silliness, this play is sure to delight those who attend.
If You Go
Possum City, USA
When: Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays through Aug. 6 at 7:30 p.m.
Where: Valley Center Playhouse, 780 N. 200 East, Lindon
Tickets: $6, $5 for students, seniors and children, $25 per family. No babes in arms or children under 4.
Info: 224-5310, www.vcpnews.com