Die laughing at 'The Sparkley Clean Funeral Singers'

The comic antics of a quirky singing duo will be brought to the stage by Artistic Civic Theatre for performances over one weekend only, Thursday, May 17, through Sunday, May 20.

"The Sparkley Clean Funeral Singers" is a four-character musical comedy written by Lori Fischer and Don Chaffer. Its plot revolves around a quirky singing duo who lose their recording contract after the lead-singing alcoholic sister crashes their tour bus into a pet store, sending multiple goldfish to an early fish-tank heaven.

Now the back-up singing sister, Junie Lashley, has gotten them a gig as funeral singers with the hope that this unexpected career move will jump-start their musical comeback. The problem is, Lashley Lee Lashley, just out of rehab, does her best singing when she's drunk.

Set in a small Tennessee town, it's a comedy about two disparate sisters, who sing funeral songs that are tailor-made for each dead person. The two sisters along with the compulsive gambling Pastor Phil and their aging father - who is still deeply in love with the mother who left them long ago - sing blues, roots rock and quirky country tunes.

Heather Burton is cast as Junie Lashley, and Cassie Richardson is her alcoholic sister, Lashley Lee. David Pasqua plays their forgetful father and Wes Phinney is the town pastor.

Directed by Rick Martin with musical direction from Ward Satterfield, "The Sparkley Clean Funeral Singers" follows in the ACT tradition of presenting folksy, tenderhearted musical comedies. "Sparkley" delivers a side-splitting good time with such songs as "Sweet Macaroon," "Bindy, Take a Seat" and "Jimmy Boy Brown and His Toy Poodle Puddin'."

Tickets are $15 adults, $13 senior adults ages 55 and older and $11 students, with a $2 discount off each ticket level for ACT members. Purchase tickets online at ACTDalton.org, or call 706-278-4796.