Monitor staff
This Friday, don’t miss the world premiere of Laughta in New Hampsha’s Comedy Cabaret: Rednecks to Rhinestones at the Hatbox Theatre.
The show is a musical play written by “true Southern girl” Seraphim Afflick, and it features performers from local theater productions as well as stand-up comedy students from local production company Laughta in New Hampsha’s classes.
The story takes place in the fictional town of Blueballs, Ala., where two bars – the redneck bar and the rhinestone bar– are feuding.
Doris Ballard, founder of Laughta in New Hampsha, says the play is full of “edgy” antics (don’t bring your kids), but that it all works out in the end.
“The audiences will see the two competing bar owners come together with their patrons and just find a way to work together,” Ballard said. “It wasn’t meant to be that, but it’s kind of giving a lesson on how people of different cultures and different interests can come together to live together in a very non-divisive way.”
Despite its larger message, Ballard said that what she really wants to do with her production company is simply bring more laughter to the Concord community.
“Laughta in New Hampshire is meant to give people the opportunity to grow in comedy, and I’m absolutely included in that,” she said.
Ballard herself took one of the stand-up comedy classes. She said she has been doing comedy for years through her and her husband’s participation in local theater productions, but hopes to explore stand-up and improv comedy with Laughta in New Hampsha.
Last Valentine’s Day, they put together a sketch-comedy performance called The Love Project at New England College, which Ballard said was a big success.
If you’d like to experience Laughta in New Hampsha’s newest production, tickets are $17 at hatboxnh.com. Performances will be on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.
