“Prepare to laugh your socks off and come in Christmas clothing,” says actress and Roanoke newcomer Alyssa Nelson about Showtimers holiday play, In-laws, Outlaws & Other People (That Should Be Shot).
The play’s cast is full of locals and those who have lived in the area for several years and each individual gives smiles and laughs when talking about the upcoming play and how funny it is. Director Stephen Baltz, who has directed at Showtimers previously, states, “This play is very relatable, I continue to find new things to make me laugh and the characters feel like family.” Steven, an actor himself, motivates his cast by “being encouraging and having an open mind.”
The playwright, Salem local and Glenvar High School Theater Arts Director Steve Franco, explains that “the play was born out of a class assignment while taking a playwriting course at Roanoke College in the ’80s. I had to come up with a play title that would make someone want to go see it. It didn’t become an actual play until 2010.” While Franco did not have this region in mind for this particular play, he believes that “people can definitely relate to all of the characters no matter where they are from, all of the characters are believable and fun.”
Keith Chumbley is the character “Dad” and acted under Franco’s direction at Glenvar High School in eight different plays. For him, “being in Franco’s play at Showtimers is a full circle moment that really hits home.”
Actress Chylynn Belcher who plays “Tracey” believes that there are lots of “calls to home” in the way that the characters are written. It’s funny and it’s the kind of comedy that draws people in.”
Actress Caroline Hancock, a Roanoke local who has been acting since the age of 9, says her character Beth, is a “classic teenage girl that I can relate to. The family is written in a way that everyone can relate to someone in it.”
Producer Carolyn Watson, another Roanoke local, wants the public to know that “as a community theater we pride ourselves on actually being a community. Everyone is volunteering their time, it’s an effort to entertain and that’s a beautiful thing.” Watson is also an actor and agrees with the rest of the cast’s assessment that this play is hilarious, “it’s a holiday show that isn’t screaming Christmas, it feels very organic, zany and ridiculous.”
In-Laws, Outlaws & Other People (That Should Be Shot) is scheduled to run Dec. 12-22 at Showtimers, located at 2067 McVitty Road SW in Roanoke. Tickets are on sale on the theater’s website beginning November 12th. Grab your tickets and enjoy the show!
