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A TOBY SHOW is coming to Lebanon! It will be presented by the SunnySide Performing Arts Ministry (SPAM) at Westland
United Methodist Church, 110 Dawson Lane (behind Randy’s Barbershop).
“What is A TOBY SHOW?” you ask. Toby is a mythical figure like Paul Bunyan or Uncle Remus. The original TOBY SHOWs
presented a TOBY character sporting red hair and freckles, as a bumbler, with immense goodwill, naïveté, and shrewdness,
who usually managed to solve a problem (or problems) during the course of a simple plot. The TOBY SHOWs were
remembered as being performed by traveling troupes, complete with tent and wooden folding chairs, for audiences in small,
rural towns without a permanent theatre facility.
TOBY SHOWs, with their good-clean-fun corny one-liners and accompanying silly sound effects, were the basis for many of
the HEE-HAW skits. Perhaps Howdy Doody was a TOBY SHOW imitation.
This TOBY SHOW has a Cinderella theme. To reproduce the “tent” feel, the stage walls at Westland UMC have been draped
with canvas on which simple set pieces have been drawn to represent the parlor of the ugly stepmother. Audience members
are encouraged to cheer the good guy, Toby, and boo the villain, Mrs. VanUndersquire. The show is directed by Lebanon’s
Julia Cawthon, storyteller, CU grad, teacher, and a participant in the revival of THE TOBY SHOW at Vol State, complete with
tent (and a family of albino skunks) in the mid-90’s.
Cast Members are varied as follows: Toby is played by Michal Rex, CU English professor; Middle-schooler, Ellen Bobo, is
his niece, Nellie; Lori Stilger, seen as the church lady in a previous SunnySide production, is Mrs. VanUndersquire; Julia
Cawthon is Step-Sister Sofia; CU Theatre Master’s Degree student and Graduate Assistant, Brendan Martel is Step-Sister
Mauderina; Vol State student, David Unland, is the Colonel; Gladeville Elementary Assistant Principal Bonita Thompson
plays singer Birdie Song; Larry Davis, a CU freshman is Prince Burtock; and Julianne Snape, recent recipient of a Masters
of Theological Studies from Vanderbilt University and wife of Westland’s Associate/Youth pastor is Cindy. Understudies
Jessica Bailey, CU theatre student and Paula Fox will be performing April 27. City of Lebanon employee, Sam Crutcher, is
technical director and the talented Frank Fox provides the interesting sound fx.
Two dinner shows will be presented on Fridays, April 20 and April 27. These begin at 6:30 for $18 and reservations are
required. Thursdays, April 19 and April 26 will be “show only” nights starting at 7:30 for $9. Saturday, April 21, at 7:30, and
Sunday, April 22, at 2:30, are dessert theatre for $12. For reservations, call 444-1447. There are no senior or child/student
discounts. Please leave your name, date, number of reservations, and a phone number for problem situations only (perhaps
Toby can help!)
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2011 Sunnyside Performing Arts Ministry