Dearly Departed was performed by the Advanced Drama class at the Performing Arts Center on Dec. 23, 24, and 25 from 7:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. The show is set in the backwoods of South, starring a typical Southern family.  In the play, an old man passed away which caused more family problems than there already was. 

Sophomore Hannah Custer performed as Delightful, the family’s youngest daughter in Dearly Departed. She explained that “It’s about a man who dies and the family gets together, but they have a bunch of problems.” Leading up to the funeral the family goes through a series of problems. When the funeral arrives everyone apologizes before a big speech is given by one of the characters,Ray-Bud which closes the performance.

Scene one starts out in a house with an elderly couple. The wife named Raynelle starts to read a letter from her spouse’s sister aloud while Bud, the old man, reads the newspaper, clearly ignoring his wife. When Raynelle finishes the letter, Bud unexpectedly collapses out of his chair onto the floor. Raynelle is shocked as she realizes that he has died. 

In scene two, a mother is on the phone with her son. She starts singing a christan song then hangs up. Her son, Royce, calls his mother, Marguerite back, and she sings again before scolding him for using her God’s name in vain.

The show moves onto scene three with a woman named Lucille and her husband, Ray-Bud,sitting at a wooden table. Lucille is on the phone with a funeral company, planning the funeral for her father-in-law. 

Entering scene four, Junior and his wife,Susane, were in a car. Junior is the son of Bud who is also very upset about his father’s death. The couple ends up in a fight because of an affair Junior had. Scene five introduces Delightful, the youngest daughter of late man and sister of Junior and Ray-Bud. The preacher, Delightful, and Raynelle sit at a table in Raynelle’s house. They were planning the funeral service while going back and forth about whether Bud was mean or sweet. 

The next scene takes place in another car with Marguerite and Royce on the way to Raynelle’s house for the funeral. They run out of gas during their drive. Scene seven takes place with everyone at Raynelle’s house. Susane doesn’t feel good, and everyone is faced with family drama as well sadness for their lost relative, Bud. The following scene shows Junior and Ray-Bud talking to each other  about all of their problems. The next scene is quickly introduced as a simple choir performance at the church. Ray-Bud notices was the ballerina slippers the corps of Bud and becomes frustrated and confused. The funeral is right around the corner. They prepare for the memorial service. The play continues into scene two with the family setting out food for their lunch the day before the funeral service. In the next scene the family’s problems continue before the funeral the next day. Then Ray-Bud enters a room and he talks with his mother about what she wanted to put on the headstone: “mean and surly” as Lucille leaves the room.

Finally the funeral arrives in scene four and everyone said goodbye to their lost relative. Junior and Susane forgive each other about the affair. They were so passionate about their love they start rolling on the floor together. Ray-bud and Lucille maybe having a baby soon after Lucille’s countless miscarriages. Everyone said goodbye to Bud and the play ended with forgiveness and plans for the future within the family.