Smoke On The Mountain

Smoke on the Mountain
Marietta Theatre in the Square
through March 19, 2017

The Sanders family has played around here quite a few times before.  Smoke on the Mountain is one of the 3 shows in which the strumming, singing, Bible thumping Sanders gang is featured and they have become standards, sort of like Nutcracker or Christmas Carol.

Pastor Oglethorpe is played by Zander Krenger, who is trying to manage his pulpit but has a little trouble keeping those Sanders singers in control.  The setting is a church in Mount Pleasant, NC.   The elder Vera is Anjil Jeter, and June is played by Liza Montgomery Maxwell.    Denise and Dennis are brought to life by Tiffany Searle and Bryan Smellie.  The gas station owner, Burl, is played by Xavier Gibson and Stanley, on the guitar, is Alexandra Gutierrez.

The show is basically a cabaret offering of 20, or more, gospel offerings; spiced with a bit of confusion, some humor, and some good ensemble playing and singing.  Some of the music is canned, but some is live on the keyboard and strings.

There really is no story here.   It’s a cabaret in a church in a small town.   And what ties it all together is the direction of Emil Thomas, who has brought the Theatre in the Square back to life in Marietta.

While the title is from Psalm 104:32, it may not be hip for many kids, nor for those who could be overly sensitive about portrayal of religion.   It certainly isn’t aimed at the intellectual elite nor the agnostics among us.  But, hey; this is Georgia.   So get yourself some boiled peanuts and pork rinds and enjoy a couple of hours at Theatre in the Square.

We all have to keep up with the arts, especially in these days.   What nicer way to help out than buying a ticket and enjoying a show.   And you get the show without all those pundits and politicians who get thrown at you every time you turn on that TV set.   And, they even have plenty of pickles for you, just as grown in Mt. Pleasant.

Info and tickets at TheatreInTheSquare.net