The Stage Door hosts finale performance with "Sordid Lives"

(Yukon, Oklahoma) - They say that all good things come to an end, and in the case of the historic Yukon Museum and Arts Center, this is sadly true.  This regal 110-year-old district school building, which for the past 20 years, has housed The Stage Door Theatre, The Yukon Historical Museum, and more recently, The Yukon Veterans Museum, plus countless other entities over the years, is permanently closing June 30 . . . no new leases, no extensions, no new life in the foreseeable future . . . closed, gone, kaput.  It is very sad and unfortunate on so many levels, but the show must go on one last time, and The Stage Door aims to leave you laughing. 

Sordid Lives by Del Shores is certainly the script to make you do just that . . . laugh.  It is billed as "a black comedy about white trash."  And you can't get much trashier than the premise of this show.  It details the mayhem that occurs after Peggy, a good Christian woman, hits her head on the sink and bleeds to death after tripping over her lover's wooden legs in a motel room.  And . . . not only is her lover married, he is twenty years her junior, which really creates a gossipfest in Winters, Texas!!  Although hilariously funny, this show is rated "R" for language and content, so leave the kiddos at home!

Having produced close to 100 shows over the past 20 years, The Stage Door has presented shows of every genre . . . musicals, comedy drama, fantasy, mystery, and children's.  Each show is unique in its own way, having fused a group of people into a cohesive cast and crew to present a couple of hours of entertainment for the audience . . . all of their hard work voluntary simply for the chance to create something special.  This theatrical company has touched the lives of countless people in many ways, and although their hearts are breaking to be losing their venue, they are pulling together to make you laugh one more time.

In the center of Sordid Lives chaos is Peggy's family.  Her sister Sissy, played by Christine Dawson, has certainly picked the wrong time to quit smoking.  Her three children are also definitely affected:  Latrelle, played by Stage Door newcomer Michelle Powell, is mostly concerned with spinning her mother's death in such a way to help the family save face; LaVonda, played by Brittany Halbert, is more concerned with having mama buried in her cherished mink stole (the one with the head still on) in the middle of the hottest July ever than she is with their reputation; and Earl "Brother Boy," played by Craig Rauch (returning after a long hiatus), who is knee-deep in his dehomosexualization therapy at a mental institution.  Throw in Latrelle's closeted gay son, Ty, doublecasted with Matthew "Cal" Calalay and Jonathan Scheidigger, and you have a family reunion!

Sordid Lives is under the direction of Allison Penn.  Although this is her first time to officially sit in the director's chair, she has assistant directed several shows with her mother, Stage Door veteran Frieda Penn, and she designed, built and directed this year's haunted house, Demented Dreams III.

During her 10-year involvement with The Stage Door, Allison has become quite proficient in stage craft, as will be evident in her set for this show, done her share of tech work in the booth, acted in numerous shows, and served two different terms on the Board of Directors.  The Stage Door is proud to have her at the helm of its final show.

Sordid Lives runs June 3, 4, 10, and 11 at 7:30 p.m. and June 5 and 12 at 2:30 p.m. The Stage Door Theatre is located at 601 Oak Avenue, in Yukon, Okla.

Tickets are $10.00 in advance and $14.00 at the door.  Advance tickets may be purchased by visiting www.stagedooryukon.com or by calling TicketStorm at 866-966-1777. 

Sordid Lives is being produced by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc.

The Gayly - 5/26/2016 @ 9:56 a.m. CDT