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Cumming Playhouse welcomes 'Bad Year'
Bad Year Tomatoes 2 es
The cast of "A Bad Year for Tomatoes" is, left to right, Myra Marlow, played by Danielle Bugay, her agent Tom Lamont, played by John Stutte, Willa Mae Wilcox, played by Jan Rink, Piney, played by John Spencer, Reba Harper, played by Amanda Libby, and Cora Gump, played by Debbi Hamm. The group poses here on stage at the Cumming Playhouse. - photo by Emily Saunders
“A Bad Year for Tomatoes” will run every Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and every Sunday at 3 p.m. from April 16 through May 10. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for senior citizens and students. For more information, call (770) 781-9178 or visit  www.playhousecumming.com or www.gypsytheatrecompany.biz.
Danielle Bugay is an actress playing an actress playing a homicidal maniac in the upcoming Gypsy Theater production, “A Bad Year for Tomatoes.”

The show opens Thursday at the Cumming Playhouse.

“A Bad Year for Tomatoes” doesn’t have the same name recognition as the production company’s last show, “Steel Magnolias.” But the show's director and Gypsy artistic director, who only goes by Mercury, hopes the production quality of the last show resonated with Cumming audiences.

“As time goes on, perhaps we’ll become a household name, and people will come see our shows simply because they know a Gypsy show is going to be a good one,” he said.

The story follows Myra Marlowe, a famous actress settling down in a small country cabin to write her autobiography. To gain some privacy from her nosy neighbors, Marlowe decides to tell them about her crazy homicidal sister she keeps locked in an upstairs room.

“But of course, things get worse as the good citizens of the small town find it in their Christian duty to save the poor demented sister,” Mercury said.

“My favorite part of the show is watching all the actors bring these characters to life. All the hard work they’ve been doing is really paying off," he added. "I sit in the [theater] house and I laugh at them every night.”

Bugay, who not only stars in the show, but is also the company's managing director, said she liked playing the dual role.

“I enjoy playing the two characters and really enjoy that one character is more conservative and subdued, and the other character is just all out crazy funny,” she said.

The performance is also special to Bugay because it is the first time she's been directed by Mercury, her husband, with whom she co-owns Gypsy Theatre.

“This is actually the first time I have ever been directed by him. It has been a wonderful experience,” said Bugay. “He has an incredible eye for seeing things we can't see. He’ll change or tweak some things or give us a tidbit of advice and it just changes everything.”

E-mail Jennifer Sami at jennifersami@forsythnews.com.