Written by Jaston Williams, Joe Sears and Ed Howard, "Greater Tuna" is described as a "tour de force" in quick costume changes and romping humor, all delivered by just two actors, GPC student Michael Cave and Newton High School math and film instructor Laramy Wells.
Part of the fun of the play is the costume and character changes, said director Janet Hollier. The two actors portray all 19 characters in Tuna, including an invisible dog named "Yippy."
Cave and Wells quick changes couldn't be done without the speedy help of the "costume crew" - GPC students Tinika Smith, Karina Miller and Alexis Smith, Hollier said.
The three GPC students work fast to get the "Tuna duo" into their new outfits in record time. Covington nursing student Tinika Smith helps Cave change 15 times in the first act, where he often switches from a male character to a female, and back again in a few minutes.
"Michael has to change out of his "boy" clothes and into "girl" clothes and we're talking seconds for the changes," said Smith. Shirts are tossed, wigs are affixed and boots are changed to slippers to hilarious effect onstage.
Karina Miller oversees the costume changes for Laramy Wells's host of characters. "Different wigs, glasses, suspenders, boots, slippers , socks; a mixture of suits," Miller said, as she ticks off the list of the different outfits she has to make sure are together and laid out for each of Wells' 10 distinct characters.
"It is very fast-paced," the GPC sophomore said. She joined the backstage crew as part of a theatre appreciation class taught by Hollier. "After this, I can really appreciate all the hard work that goes on in a production."
Showtimes: 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 24 through Saturday, March 27 and 3 p.m. Sunday, March 28 at The Studio on GPC Newton Campus, Room 2100, Building 1.
Tickets are $5 to $10 and are free for GPC students and employees. Reservations may be made by calling the Newton Box office at (770) 278-1435 or e-mailing newahac@gpc.edu. Patrons may pick up or purchase their tickets in The Studio at the time of the performance. The play is partially sponsored by the Newton Student Government Association.
