Published: March 22, 2008 10:48 pm            

Theater revives popular 'Smoke' production with 3rd installment

Almost 14 years ago, Dalton’s Artistic Civic Theater moved into its current location on Gaston Street.

The theater group chose as its first production a little-known gospel musical comedy called “Smoke on the Mountain.”

Set in Depression-era North Carolina, “Smoke on the Mountain,” by Connie Ray, is the story of Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, its pastor Mervin Oglethorpe and the Sanders Family Singers — a gospel singing group Oglethorpe invites to perform during the church’s first-ever Saturday night singing.

“I had seen it performed in another theater down in the Atlanta area and thought it was a charming show, just right for this community,” said Rick Martin, who directed that production.

But Martin didn’t know just how “right” it would be.

“The show proved to be so popular we held it over,” he said.

The show was originally scheduled for 12 performances, but the group ended up doing more than 20 that year.

The show became a signature play for the group, which revived it three more times, most recently in 2003. In 2001, the group presented “A Sanders Family Christmas,” a sequel to “Smoke on the Mountain. They revived that show in 2006.

What makes “Smoke” so popular?

“Most people in this area were raised in that type of atmosphere. My parents’ generation and my grandparents’ generation certainly were raised in that type of atmosphere,” said Wes Phinney, managing director of the theater from 1992 to 2005.

Phinney says the “Smoke” plays manage to find humor in the situations the characters face without ever being condescending or insulting to them.

Now, the cast and crew of the Artistic Civic Theater are gearing up to present the third and final installment of the “Smoke on the Mountain” trilogy, “Smoke on the Mountain: Homecoming.”

“This particular show is five years later (after “Smoke”). The characters have matured. The girls are married and have children. The pastor has been called to a church in Texas, and is taking June, the oldest Sanders girl, whom he married, with him,” said Martin. “It ties all the loose ends together.”

Bur Martin says audience members don’t have to be familiar with the first two plays in the trilogy to enjoy “Homecoming,” as the characters all reintroduce themselves when they perform in the church.

Martin is returning as director, and he says several cast members are returning in roles they originated in 1994, including Tim Etheridge as Oglethorpe, Mike Riddle as the patriarch of the Sanders family and Sharon Chambers.



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Sponsored by Shaw Industries and directed by Rick Martin, “Smoke on the Mountain: Homecoming” features Tim Etheridge, Mary Rose Threet, Mike Riddle, Sharon Chambers, Bob Smith, Jennifer Phinney and Caleb Burgess, and will be presented March 27-29, April 4-5, 8, and 10-12 at 8 p.m., and March 30 at 2 p.m.

To reserve seats, call (706) 278-4796.

        

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