I hadn’t been to Fort Gordon Dinner Theatre since before the pandemic, but when I talked to Avery Villines about the show that she was directing, I knew I had to go.
“Getting Sara Married” sounded like it would be funny — an eccentric aunt who kidnapped a man and had him delivered on a dolly to her unmarried niece’s apartment. And it didn’t bother her that the man she’d chosen for her niece was already engaged to someone else.
Combined with the fact that the eccentric aunt was played by Kay Gross, who was my youngest daughter’s favorite teacher at John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School, and I was sold.
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And who doesn’t need a laugh these days?
On Sunday morning, I woke up to see my memories from two years ago. I was on a cruise with my husband, daughters, parents, in-laws and longtime friend. That photo popped up as well as a photo of my Artside column from The Augusta Chronicle that a friend tagged me in. Only two years ago, but a lifetime ago at the same time. My dad is no longer with us, and well, you know what I’m doing these days workwise.
Saturday night was a welcomed distraction. It was part birthday celebration for my hubby and part Valentine’s Day, sort of. At the last minute, I added my mom to our reservation. I was told the performance was sold out, but they updated our reservation anyway.
The show didn’t disappoint. Fort Gordon has always had a reputation for having great shows. In his four decades, Steve Walpert built a reputation for an excellent dinner theater program. It always won awards until the Army did away with the recognitions several years ago.
He worked with most of the actors on stage – five out of the six that I know for sure plus Avery, the director. And I know his influence rubbed off on her as a director.
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I’ve interviewed Avery dozens of times. I think the first show I saw her in was “Arsenic and Old Lace,” and we won’t talk about how many years ago that had to have been. I performed with her in “Guys and Dolls” in 2007 and again in 2016 in “The Drowsy Chaperone,” Steve’s farewell show as the head of the Fort Gordon entertainment program.
She stood in the back for some of the show and laughed at the lines as the actors delivered them because, despite having read it and seen it dozens of times by that point, it was still funny.
Karen Brotherton played the lead of Sara, the unmarried lawyer with the crazy aunt. Her look of shock and utter horror as Brandon (Warren Post) was rolled onto the stage was priceless. And she’s a believable as Sara.
Kay Gross didn’t disappoint either. She never does. Her cameos as Aunt Martha are scene stealers. She even incorporated a little bit of tap dance into the show — that was my daughter, Allie’s, favorite class at DFA. A decade later, she still talks about Ms. Gross’s Thriller number. It was truly memorable.
Bob Schwamberger was Noogie Malloy was funny as well. Just don’t stand next to him in an elevator or you might end up unconscious on someone’s couch.
The menu was great as always – roast beef and baked chicken. My husband enjoyed my piece of cheesecake. Since I didn’t make him a cake, it was a price I didn’t mind paying.
There are four more performances of “Getting Sara Married” Feb. 14, 18, 19 and 20. Not sure if those are sold out. If they are, another comedy will be at dinner theater in May. It’s called “Things My Mother Taught Me.” Auditions are Feb. 16 and 17. I would love to audition because that show sounds fun.
To learn more about Fort Gordon Dinner Theatre, call (706) 793-8552.
Charmain Z. Brackett is the managing editor for The Augusta Press. Reach her at charmain@theaugustapress.com
