New Youth Production Shows Off Southern Charm

The hopes to make theatergoers forget about the frigid temperatures outside when they raise the curtain on a new production.

Dearly Departed itakes place in the Bible Belt during a sweltering Southern heat wave. The play tells the story of a dysfunctional family that must come together to plan the family patriarch’s burial after he dies suddenly at the breakfast table, all the while shedding the notion of “Southern hospitality.”  

The director, David Rzucidlo, knows a thing or two about how a family can play into life-altering decisions. He started with DYPAC putting his real-world work experience as a fabricator to use by building sets, and has since directed a number of shows.

“My daughter and I saw DYPAC’s very first production, The Wizard of Oz, in 1998,” said Rzucidlo. “We kind of went from a casual interest to volunteering, to getting really involved with the board and building sets.”

After watching his daughter come up through the ranks of DYPAC, Rzucidlo realized the profound effect that theater can have on a young person’s life. He wasn’t content with only putting them through the paces under the bright lights, so he proposed something a little different for this show: Let the students run it.

“I wanted to give them experience working in an off-stage position within the production and not necessarily let their only theatrical experience be on stage,” he said. “So the kids who weren’t cast as actors get to run the show.”

Dearly Departed runs at 7:30 p.m. March 4-5 and at 2:30 p.m. March 6.

Tickets are $8 for adults and $6 for seniors and students. For more information, go to www.dypac.com or call (734) 362-8153.