Review: Southern Fried Funeral at Ringgold Playhouse

As the tagline for Osborne and Eppier’s play states, Southern Fried Funeral is a big-hearted comedy about family… Southern-style. And this most certainly is true. The show is filled with hilarious moments and zany situations which bring uproarious laughter from the audience as they witness the story of the Frye family unfold at the Ringgold Playhouse. Dorothy Frye has an eclectic family to say the least. With two adult daughters whose sibling rivalry make Cain and Abel look civil and a not so adult man-child son, she already has her hands full. Even though this is enough to make any grown woman go crazy, the recently widowed Mrs. Frye must also prepare for her husband’s funeral while church committee harpy Ozella Meeks sticks her nose in the family business and Dorothy’s brother-in-law is eager to get his hand on the family’s land. Funerals are something every person will more and likely go through, both as attendees and eventually as the guest of honor.  Though this play is most assuredly a comedy, the script treats this subject with great reverence. Throughout the evening there were moments which took me by surprise with their emotional honesty and relatability. Sherry Dee Allen’s performance as Dorothy was both endearing and heart warming, and the ever lovable Ronald King brought forth many of the shows most memorable moments with his portrayal of Dewey Jr. Southern Fried Funeral features an ensemble cast of Sherry Dee Allen, Jennifer Bryant, Kylene Booher, Lisa Parsons, John Hammons, Sherri Brown, David Dunn, Joshua Chisholm, Timothy Shields, Kitty Reel, and Ronald King and is directed by Monica Woodlief. Remaining show times are 7:30 p.m. March 2-4, with a special matinee performance at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 4. Tickets are available in person Monday through Friday at Ringgold City Hall, over the phone at 706-935-3061, or online at cityofringgold.com.