By Mark A. Nobles/Special to the Times-Review
The holiday season often presents an emotional gauntlet that is not for the faint of heart.
It is a time of love, remembrance, family, friendship, hope, redemption and renewal.
On the surface “Sanders Family Christmas” is a quaint little play about a bluegrass gospel group invited to sing and witness at a small, pastoral Baptist church at the out break of World War II.
It is however, a deeper, multilayered story of love, family and faith.
The Plaza has reunited the cast from last season’s “Smoke on the Water,” the first in the Sanders family trilogy.
This highly talented cast snuggles back in their roles, and keeping them together only adds to the attachment that audience members who are lucky enough to have seen both plays feel for the family members.
Kyle Adams portrays Mervin Oglethorpe, the bumbling, young pastor of the Mount Pleasant Baptist Church.
Adams is a Plaza veteran and seems born to play Oglethorpe. He brings a sincerity and innocence crucial to the role.
Danielle Beacham is again a stand-out performer as June Sanders.
June is the black sheep of the Sanders family. She can’t sing, can barely keep a beat and is a bit on the homely side. Her one talent is her ability to sign for the deaf.
Unfortunately, there are never any deaf people in the audience.
Beacham is an almost constant swirl of elbows and knees as she interprets the songs and hymns for the audience.
Her constant shenanigans and rubber facial expressions make it hard to watch anyone else on stage for fear of missing a laugh.
G. Aaron Siler plays the Sanders patriarch, Burl.
Siler infuses Burl with a down home good nature and an ability to weave yarns like a back-porch philosopher.
Darcy Farrington pulls double duty by directing and portraying Vera, mother of the Sanders brood.
Farrington plays the slightly self-righteous Vera with warmth and comforting, mother hen, type of love. As director she paces and choreographs the show with a sprite touch.
Jonathan Cooper plays Dennis Sanders with a depth and maturity not shown in the original ‘Smoke and the Mountain.’ His strong performance is touching and poignant.
Kaitlin McDonald may have the strongest voice in the cast, and her rendition of “I Wonder as I Wander” is a show stopper.
Judy Barnett and Becky Watson don’t play the Amen Ladies; they are the Amen Ladies. Their banter with the audience at the beginning of both acts is riotous, and their expressions and comments through out the show are priceless.
The Sanders family is popular in Mount Pleasant and in Cleburne Only a limited number of tickets remain, so make reservations quick, or you will be left out of this toe-tapping and touching holiday classic.
If you have had your fill of turkey and pumpkin pie by Black Friday, the Plaza is having a day-after Thanksgiving Chinese dinner.
The event will benefit Plaza’s Performing Arts School Broadway Tour.
The entire proceeds of the dinner will be used to pay for the students’ trip to Broadway in February.
In New York the students will attend four Broadway shows, tour the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Julliard and two other venues.
They will also meet with actors working on Broadway.
Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. Price of admission includes a Chinese dinner and chair massage.
The Plaza’s production of “Sanders Family Christmas” plays through Dec. 23. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, with two performances Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
For information and reservations call 817-202-0600 or visit www.plaza-theatre.com.
