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A Don’t Hug Me County Fair

 

*** EXTENDED Through May 2, 2009 ***

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           You won’t want to miss the fun of this third trip to Bunyan County, Minnesota, at the Lonny Chapman Group Repertory Theatre in North Hollywood.  With A Don’t Hug Me County Fair, chalk up another successful production for the very talented Phil Olson (playwright) and his brother Paul Olson, MD (composer, a.k.a. Bear) and the delightful, charming and hilarious cast.
It is the warm season in Bunyan County, actually hot, (couldn’t have a County Fair in the Minnesota winter) as opposed to the first play in the sequence, Don’t Hug Me, and the second, A Don’t Hug Me Christmas Carol.   The County Fair is the biggest thing to happen in Bunyan Bay since the winter carnival snowplow parade! To Gunner and Clara Johnson, owner of the local bar, The Bunyan, the biggest event of the County Fair is the Miss Walleye Queen Competition; this event is to be held in The Bunyan Bar.  What better publicity and means to selling lots of beer.  Clara’s best friend Bernice Lundstrom hankers for the chance to win Miss Walleye Queen in order “to be discovered” and have her face carved in butter.  But it may not be as easy for her as she thought when Clara decides to enter the pageant just to show her inattentive husband that she still “has it.”  Gunner’s twin sister Trigger returns to Bunyan Bay to try as well.  All the while Bernice’s former fiancé Kanute Gunderson is trying to win her back and then discovers that she has been dating Aarvid Gisselsen who is to host the exciting event.   

           All this action takes place in the bar, a cheerful splendid set by Chris Winfield under the scrupulous direction of Doug Engalla.  Tom Gibis is remarkable as Gunner, but his “twin sister” Trigger is just as outstanding!  Charming Judy Heneghan, as Clara, finally brings Gunner around to really noticing her true assets, while the lovely Katherine Brunk (Bernice) makes her decision as to whether she will marry Kanute (Tom Lommel) or Aarvid (Brad MacDonald).  All throughout, their singing and dancing (choreography by Stan Mazin) add a special punch to the storyline.  Discover for yourself who becomes the lucky competition winners, both as Miss Walleye and Bernice’s fiancé.

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A Second Visit to "A Don't Hug Me County Fair"

Since this delightful comedy/musical has been extended to run through May 2, 2009, at the Lonny Chapman Group Repertory Theatre in North Hollywood, I recently went to see it again, this time with two of the casts’ understudies.  There were a few minor changes, but just as fun and entertaining the second time around.  Understudy Melissa Soso played the role of sexy Bernice and fit the personality to a tee.  Luke Adams made the role of Kanute his own with his interpretation.  But whomever you see in A Don’t Hug Me Count Fair, you will have a delightful evening of top-notch entertainment.  If you missed it before, now is your chance to see it before it closes. 

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Theater: Lonny Chapman Group Repertory Theatre, 10900 Burbank Boulevard, North Hollywood
Web Site: http://www.lcgrt.com/
Tickets: (828) 700-4878
Dates: through May 2, 2009