Only a few days before “A Nice Family Christmas” is set to open at Fort Gordon Dinner Theatre, and Steve Walpert is still having problems keeping a straight face.
“Betty’s character has so many funny lines. I’m struggling not to laugh at her,” said Walpert of his wife who takes the role of the grandmother in the show.
The Betty he’s referring to is Betty Walpert, his on-stage co-star and real life wife.
“A Nice Family Christmas” will be performed for two weekends starting Dec. 3.
The show brings together a dysfunctional family on Christmas Eve. One of the family members is a young newspaper reporter who is close to being fired. His last-ditch assignment is to write about a typical family Christmas. His family includes his recently widowed mother, his crazy uncle, his eccentric grandmother and his fighting siblings and their spouses. They give him plenty of material to work with. And when his family finds out what he’s up to, it really gets interesting.
Steve Walpert, who plays the crazy uncle, hasn’t been on stage with his wife in several years, and his most recent role wasn’t on stage but directing “Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville – a Sherlock Holmes mystery.”
Being on stage presents its own set of challenges such as not laughing at hilarious lines when the character isn’t supposed to, but it also is a freeing experience, he said.
“I have to make my character as interesting as possible, but I’m not responsible for the technical aspects of the show,” he said.
That’s left up to Avery Villines, who is directing this show and the next one at dinner theatre.
And she said she’s having a blast working with her amazing cast.
“This show is full of belly laughs,” she said.
However, she does caution that the material — especially some of Grandma’s lines — is not appropriate for children. She gives it a PG-13 rating.
Like most holiday shows, there’s the feel-good element to this one. The family members come to the Christmas gathering with all their facades and perceived roles, but as the play progresses, there’s a sense of family that comes out. For the “nice” family, the members learn that there are people who will always be in their lives and that’s a good thing.
“There are people who will love and accept you,” Villines said.
“A Nice Family Christmas” will be performed Dec. 3-5 and Dec. 10-12 at Fort Gordon Dinner Theatre, 32100 Third Ave. Dinner is at 6:45 p.m. followed by the show at 8 p.m., Dec. 3-4 and 10-11, and lunch will be at 1:45 p.m. with the performance at 3 p.m. Dec. 5 and 12.
Reservations are required. Tickets are $30-$54. Call (706) 793-8552 for reservations.
Charmain Z. Brackett is the Features Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach her at charmain@theaugustapress.com
