Theatre Knoxville Downtown constructed Granny’s house — just in time for the family to come to town.
Wednesday, cast members put the finishing touches on the set of their upcoming production “Daddy’s Dyin’: Who’s Got the Will?,” a southern comedy that puts a family’s internal disputes under the spotlight.
Courtney Woolard is on the board of directors for Theatre Knoxville and will play the role of Marlene Turnover in this weekend’s production. Woolard, along with the other cast members, crew and coordinators of Theatre Knoxville, work as volunteers to ensure the organization remains the oldest nonacademic, volunteer-based theater in Knoxville.
“We are a community organization, and we’re really passionate about getting people involved and really spreading the message about theater,” Woolard said.
“Daddy’s Dyin’: Who’s Got the Will?” will be performed on Theatre Knoxville’s stage on Gay Street.
“We are small. It’s only about a 50-seat theater, but we are one of the few companies that can say they aren’t homeless,” Woolard said.
It will be Staci Swedeen’s first time performing on the Theatre Knoxville stage.
“This theater really reminds me of all the little black box theaters that are very prevalent in New York City,” Swedeen said. “It’s very intimate. You’re 3 feet from the stage.”
This intimacy brings family drama such as “Daddy’s Dyin’: Who’s Got the Will?” right under the audience’s nose, which Woolard referred to as “King Lear”set in Texas.
“I would describe this as every family’s comic nightmare. It’s fun and fast, and what family doesn’t have issues?” Swedeen joked. “You think your family has issues, come look at this one. You’ll feel so much better about yours.”
The play revolves around an unusual sort of family reunion when a Texas family gathers to face the imminent death of their patriarch.
Despite the seemingly morbid topic though, this play is not a tragedy.
“It’s definitely a comedy,” Willard explained. “At least we hope it is.”
Many of the cast members playing the members of the Turnover family began rehearsals as strangers, eventually growing into a family of their own.
“We’re still getting to know each other even though we are on stage playing husbands, wives, fathers and grandmothers,” Wollard said, “but I think that’s all part of the fun of theater is getting to know someone on and off stage.”
The volunteer-based company holds open auditions before each production. This leads to a shifting and diverse cast with each new play.
“There’s people of all different levels and ages and stages on the stage, and that can be both fun and terrifying,” Swedeen said.
The cast includes both theater veterans and amateurs ready to try something new, yet the cast still shares a common goal.
“There’s probably not an ounce of pretension among us,” Woolard said. “We’re here to provide a service to the community and have fun while were doing it,” Woolard said.
“Daddy’s Dyin’: Who’s Got the Will?” opens Thursday, Jan. 9 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 at the door.
