The outrageously funny two-man comedy “Greater Tuna” will open the Tryon Little Theater’s 2017-2018 season, and director Carol Cox has announced auditions for Sunday, July 30 at 3 p.m. and Monday, July 31 at 6:30 p.m. Performances will be at the Workshop from Sept. 14-24.

Two actors in ten roles apiece  play men, women, children and even Yippy the dog. Meet Thurston Wheelis and Arles Struvie, who broadcast the local news of Tuna, Texas on radio station OKKK.

There’s Didi Snavely, owner of Didi’s Used Weapons (motto: “If Didi’s can’t kill it, it’s immortal”).   

There’s the Bumiller clan – Bertha, Hank, and siblings Jody and Stanley. There’s gossip Pearl Burras, Sheriff Givens, Reverend Spike, Petey Fisk, and several other residents of Tuna, whose population is somewhere south of 300 souls.

“Greater Tuna” premiered in 1981, a play about Texas’ third smallest town, where the Lion’s Club is too liberal and Patsy Cline never dies — a town full of eccentric characters, largely with small minds. “Tuna” was once the most performed play in America, and even did a command performance at the White House.

Part of the fun for the audience is never knowing which character an actor will appear as next, just moments after exiting the stage as someone else. Lightning fast costume changes, including wigs, hats, whatever. Accents flip from one to another as the two actors constantly switch from the likes of an old school harpy, to a dog-loving teen, to a reverend who spouts every cliché known to mankind, to raucous Didi, to a rebellious young man, to the local sheriff, and on and on.

Auditions will be held at TLT’s Workshop, 516 South Trade Street. For further information, contact producer Betty Brewer at 828-817-3843.

– article submitted by Connie Clark