The Fort Walton Beach High School Theatre Department will present the comedy “The Beverly Hillbillies” Oct. 19-22.
- Performances of the stage adaptation of the classic 1960s sitcom will be held at the Fort Walton Beach High School Auditorium. Showtimes are 7 p.m. Oct. 19-21 and 3 p.m. Oct. 22.
Tickets are $12 and must be purchased online at gofan.co. The show is family-friendly but may not hold the attention of young children.
The show features 21 characters based on those from the original series about a poor family from the Ozarks who move to upscale Beverly Hills, California after striking oil on their land, according to director Ron Morse.
Morse, in his second year teaching theater at the high school, said the script made his students laugh from their first reading.
- “It has been a lot of fun introducing my students to these characters and this style of storytelling,” he said. “They embraced the script in the first read through. They were laughing at every joke. I knew we had a script they could enjoy working so hard to produce.”
Senior Acacia Yates, who has been actively involved with the program all 4 years, said she’s glad the show offers opportunities for new students.
“I’m glad this show offers so many opportunities for freshman and people new to the program,” she said. “Looking back on my experiences on this stage, I know what lies ahead for them. I’m glad I get to be a part of their first show, as I finish my time here. It goes so fast, so I’m enjoying every moment on this stage.”
Morse said the goal of the show is to give the audience “a laugh.”
“The Clampetts might not be ready for Beverly Hills, but Beverly Hills is certainly not ready for the Clampetts,” Morse said, quoting a line from the play he particularly enjoys.
After “The Beverly Hillbillies,” the theater department will stage “The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical” Feb. 15-18.
For more information, contact Morse at 850-833-3300.
