The ladies of Magnolia Place Assisted Living need a break.
And they don’t want another trip to Helen, Georgia. A sassy senior Caribbean cruise is more their speed if retired burlesque queen Beatrice can convince her best friend, Eaddy Mae, to stop praying and go with her, that is.
Throw in a woman whose memory has recently started failing, another woman obsessed with planning her funeral and an Elvis impersonator, and you have the comedy “Four Old Broads.”
“This is four women with very distinct personalities who are stumbling into a predicament,” said Dustin Turner, who is directing the show for Edgefield’s Main Street Players for two weekends starting Jan. 24 at The Discovery Center, 405 Main St., Edgefield.
That predicament involves a mystery with the evil Nurse Jones. Things haven’t been great at Magnolia Place since she arrived. A few added subplots makes “Four Old Broads” for a night of laughter, he said. Turner noted some adult language might give the show a PG-13 rating.
Written by Leslie Kimbell, the “Four Old Broads” made its debut at Winder Barrow Community Theatre in Winder, Georgia, in March 2017 under the direction of Léland Downs Karas, according to Concord Theatricals which licenses the play. The first professional production premiered at Centre Stage Greenville in Greenville, South Carolina, in September 2017.
Edgefield’s production marks the play’s area debut.
Turner said he wasn’t originally tapped to direct the show, but he’s glad he stepped into the role.
He’s working with some performers who will be new to local audiences. Cast members drive from Newberry, Saluda and Prosperity to participate in the show.
“It’s an amazing cast. We’re having so much fun,” he said.
“Four Old Broads” is the Main Street Players’ second show of the 2024-2025 season, which also features “Driving Miss Daisy” and “The Odd Couple.”
A new feature is online ticketing, Turner said, and people seem interested in that option.
Opening night features a special treat by Creative Catering by Doug Landreth. Each opening night, Landreth caters a spread in keeping with the theme of the show. For the season opener of “Sordid Lives,” he made a 1990s funeral spread complete with Tupperware.
Shows will be at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 24-25 and Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 and at 3 p.m. on Jan.26 and Feb. 2. Tickets are $20 each. Go here for tickets.
Charmain Z. Brackett, the publisher of Augusta Good News and Inspiring: Women of Augusta, has covered Augusta’s news for more than 35 years and is a Georgia Press Association award winner. Reach her at charmain@augustagoodnews.com. Sign up for the newsletter here.
