Smoky Water Follies bring old time fun

The second annual Smoky Water Follies will be held on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, June 26-28, at the Skamokawa Grange hall. Evening performances are at 7:30 p.m. and the Sunday matinee is at 2 p.m.

Set in the early 1900s, the show highlights music and comedy from the heyday of traveling vaudeville shows that brought lively entertainment to towns in rural America. The historic grange hall in the Skamokawa National Historic District provides an authentic setting for this family production. Many of the musicians in the Smoky Water Orchestra are from the Astoria group All That Jazz and will be providing a Dixieland overture 30 minutes before the performance.

Directed by Adele Swift with musical direction by Sunrise Fletcher, the Follies is a major fundraiser for the Skamokawa Grange. The grange building still needs many amendments, but over the past five years the hall has been restored for public use by Skamokawa Grange members and volunteers from the community. During this economic downturn, the prices of the tickets have been reduced to $8 for individuals and $20 for families and are available from the cast and from The Bank of the Pacific both in Cathlamet and in Naselle. Doors will open one half hour early.

Prior to the Sunday matinee, the Wahkiakum Fair Board will be hosting an informal picnic lunch in the fairgrounds adjacent to the hall.

Cast members include Kay Chamberlain, Russ Durrah, Kerri McNally, Mike Linn, Kathleen Morgain, Marilyn Conway, Mike Rees, Peyton Souvenir, Lesley Horman, Jon Peterson, Larry Hendrickson, Steve Puddicombe, Gilbert Vik, Emily Stiles, Adele Swift, and Sunrise Fletcher. Band members include Fern Fey, Jim Miller, Chuck Wyndham, Dave Graves, and Bunny Berrigan.

For further information contact Jessica Fletcher, 795-8770.