Thibodaux Playhouse is celebrating its 50th anniversary with its latest production, “Greater Tuna.” The comedic satire of life in rural America, directed by Sheela Plater with assistant director Randy Mayeu, focuses on the citizens of Tuna, the third-smallest town in Texas. The two-actor play features cast members Dan Ruiz Salvatura, who performed in the Playhouse production of “Sanders Family Christmas” last year and teaches theatre at Hahnville High School, and Chris Buckel, who first performed in “Greater Tuna” at Southeastern Louisiana University in 1995.
Each actor plays 10 different characters, including men, women, children and animals.
“We had to figure out, how does that character sound and how does that character move that’s different from other characters,” Salvatura said. “We had to make them different so you never doubt which character we’re playing.”
Salvatura and Buckel practiced with their different characters for six weeks to prepare for the play. And with 10 separate roles, Salvatura said he changes costume 24 times throughout the duration of the production. His shortest costume change is 15 seconds.
“There are four costumers backstage dressing us and reminding us, ‘You’re this person next’,” Salvatura said. “We play completely different people. You just have to own each persona and really commit to it. What keeps the audience going is watching us dedicate ourselves to each character.”
Petey Fisk, president of the Greater Tuna Humane Society, is one of Salvatura’s favorite personas.
“He shows up the most of all my characters,” Salvatura said. “He has a lot of heart, and he has some very sweet, tender, vulnerable moments, whereas the other characters don’t have as much depth to them.”
With such a small cast, Salvatura said this particular play was different from other productions he has performed in throughout his 20 years as an actor.
“One of the major differences is I’m not playing one character that goes throughout the play that has a story and journey,” Salvatura said. “It’s like these little sketches that when put together give you an idea of what life is like in Tuna, Texas.”
The play originated in Austin, Texas as a party skit more than 20 years ago. Creators Joe Sears, Jaston Williams and Ed Howard first put together a standup comedy routine based on the characters in Tuna, Texas, and later turned it into a play.
Thibodaux Playhouse first debuted “Greater Tuna” in 1995.
“It was one of the most successful plays, so this year Thibodaux Playhouse has decided to bring back its most popular plays for its 50th-year anniversary,” Salvatura said.
The production will take place Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Jean Lafitte Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center on St. Mary Street. Admission is $10 for adults and $8 for students. Anyone interested in reserving tickets should contact 446-1896.
“It is a very fun, easy, inexpensive two hours,” Salvatura said. “More entertainment than you’ll get out of a two-hour movie.
