Theatre arlingtons production of the miss firecracker contest was a pleasant way to start my weekend as i attended opening night this past friday. Played with perfectly endearing charm by maggie meyer, popeye. If you just hit print every single monologue will print humorous all kiding aside bumsevelyn bumsmary bus stop coupla chicks. The miss firecracker contest ends with carnelle, popeye, and delmount watching the independence day pyrotechnics from a perch atop the tent where the contest was held. Theres a moment in beth henleys the miss firecracker contest when popeye jackson describes viewing the moon through a telescope to delmount williams. Popeye, the young seamstress who aids carnelle with her costumes, and mac sam, the man selling balloons at the pageant. When beth henley is really flying, her comic voice has the crazed yet liberating sound of a rebel yell. Carnelle has lost most of her family, has only an old house her aunt left her, a somewhat questionable reputation, and the dream to be named miss firecracker at the. The miss firecracker contest, along with other beth henley plays, is characterized as a southern gothic. The tale of carnelle scott, a young woman with bright red hair, who dreams of escaping her humdrum exis tence in rural mississippi. The miss firecracker contest pops with charm orange. The miss firecracker contest quiz from eight week quiz a. Opening march 10 and running through march 26, the miss firecracker contest is a play written by beth henley after her pulitzer prize winning, crimes of the heart. Its been called a part of the southern gothic tradition of literature.
While taking measurements, she sees a picture of delmount and instantly falls in love. Hot tamale is rehearsing furiously for the miss firecracker contesthoping that a. I love smaller ensemble shows because it gives you a better chance to get to know your cast and popeye was a. Popeye earned her nickname when she accidentally applied ear drops to her eyes, causing them to swell. The play is set in the small southern town of brookhaven, mississippi, and tells an archetypical story of a young woman trying to reinvent herself. Maybe i should go on and get your measurements off you right now if ya dont mind. Jul 20, 2019 the miss firecracker contest, along with other beth henley plays, is characterized as a southern gothic. The film, set in yazoo city, mississippi, was written by pulitzer prize winning playwright beth henley and is based on her 1984 play, the miss firecracker contest. From pulitzer prize winner beth henley crimes of the heart, this dark southern comedy tells the story of a small town beauty queen trying to save her tarnished reputation and leave town in a blaze of glory by winning the miss firecracker contest. Firecracker contest, highlighted by an unintentionally hilarious.
But, aided by a touchingly awkward seamstress named popeye who is. I love smaller ensemble shows because it gives you a better chance to get to know your cast and popeye was a wonderful role. Mar 14, 2017 the miss firecracker contest, her wily and witty comedy now being revived at south camden theatre company, is no exception. In the miss firecracker contest, her comedy at the manhattan theater club, this. A small town beauty pageant sets the scene for the miss firecracker contest, a southern comedy by jacksons own beth henley. This boisterous and bold dark comedy, a true beth henley play, explores human nature through the slightly largerthanlife, and finds earnest humor and satire in many of the same places. Calendar of events miss firecracker contest 1042018 in. The miss fire cracker contest ramona hillside players. The miss firecracker contest wins with laughs and drama. From pulitzer prize winner beth henley crimes of the heart, this play tells the story of a small town beauty queen trying to save her tarnished reputation and leave town in a blaze of glory by winning the miss firecracker contest.
Both charming and irreverent, the miss firecracker contest is a wistful take on southern beauty culture and the reallife facades it so eloquently symbolizes. As one looks to shine in a local beauty pageant, the second seeks unrequited love, with the third hoping to rid herself from the bonds of matrimony. The miss firecracker contest at laurel mill playhouse dc. You can look at beth henleys the miss firecracker contest now onstage. Performed at bergen county academies june 10th, 2011. Carnelle hunter, an oversexed hellion who was orphaned as a young child, has always played second fiddle to her beautiful, older, southern belle cousin a past miss firecracker contest winner. But caught up in the wacky humor and engaging performances of tipping points actors, you might wonder how the play fits in that genre. Miss firecracker is a 1989 american comedy film directed by thomas schlamme. Foster jameys jimmie ray weeks john polk katty kinda lemonade lenny look lucky spot mama manhattan theatre club married midgets miss firecracker contest mississippi morning never night orange outta patricia richardson pixrose popeye popeye prairie dog reed hooker scared scoop shoot someone spin.
The wimberley players serve up a rich slice of southern gothic when we follow carnelle scotts bid for miss firecracker in smalltown mississippi. The miss firecracker contest, along with other beth henley plays. Carnelle wants to be crowned miss firecracker so that she can leave yazoo city in what she calls a blaze of glory. When was the last time you heard of a woman named popeye. Lone star college was founded in 1973 and offers associate degrees, workforce certificates and transfer credits. Footlight players provide bit of sparkle to the miss.
Scott popeyes going to be using this material to make my costume for the miss firecracker contest. The film, set in yazoo city, mississippi, was written by pulitzer prizewinning playwright beth henley and is based on her 1984 play, the miss firecracker contest. The miss firecracker contest, her wily and witty comedy now being revived at south camden theatre company, is no exception. The miss firecracker contest the column online by john. Carnelle scott is rehearsing furiously for the miss firecracker contesthoping that a victory will salvage her tarnished reputation and allow her to leave town in a blaze of glory.
See more ideas about firecracker, brookhaven mississippi and mississippi. When her beautiful cousin and estranged older brother return to town, situations become more complicated in this dramatic comedy. This study guide consists of approximately 38 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of the miss firecracker contest. This is not new material, but henley replaces some of the painful sincerity with.
Carnelle isnt happy with her life, so in order to improve herself she enters a local beauty contest, trying to emulate her cousin elains win many years ago. She enters the miss firecracker contest, the local 4th of july beauty pageant, and puts her. Stein as carnelle scott, tori sicklick as popeye jackson in a scene from the miss firecracker contest, written by beth henley. The miss firecracker contest uses the themes of outer and inner appearances to guide these characters journeys toward a realization of true beauty. Jun 29, 2015 the miss firecracker contest by beth henley opened this weekend at the laurel mill playhouse, and is directed by patrick pase and produced by julie rogers. The miss firecracker contest is a twoact play that was originally. The miss firecracker contest ramona hillside players present, the miss firecracker contest on november 15. The miss firecracker contest plot summary, character breakdowns, context and. Carnelle scott known locally as miss hot tamale is rehearsing furiously for the miss firecracker contesthoping that a victory will salvage her tarnished reputation and allow her to leave town in a blaze of glory. The miss firecracker talent contest is brilliantthis film deserves attention. Both plays were produced on broadway and both had movie versions.
Lsc drama presents the miss firecracker contest conroemontgomery county, tx the show will run july 68 at 7 p. When you are ready to print, please highlight, copy, and paste into a document. Popeye jackson from the miss firecracker contest summary. With holly hunter, mary steenburgen, tim robbins, alfre woodard. The miss firecracker contest is a play by beth henley that tells the story of a young woman named carnelle scott living in brookhaven, mississippi in the early 1980s. Lscmontgomery drama presents the miss firecracker contest. Miss firecracker general discussions tcm message boards.
It stars holly hunter, mary steenburgen, tim robbins, alfre woodard, and scott glenn. Premade quizzes on the miss firecracker contest eight week quiz a that include 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions for a quick inclass quiz. When her beautiful cousin and estranged older brother return to town, situations become more complicated in. The miss firecracker contest south camden theatre company. When her beautiful cousin, elain, and elains estranged brother return to town, situations become more complicated. Character description, analysis and casting breakdown for popeye jackson from the miss firecracker contest.
If you just hit print every single monologue will print humorous all kiding aside bumsevelyn bums. The ensemble cast seem oddly matched and mismatched at the same time, which is underlying theme of the stage play. Jul 04, 2015 starring as contest hopeful carnelle scott is holly hunter, reprising the role she played in the play. Beth henleys sly comedy about a gawky gal trying to shed her reputation as the town tramp by winning the miss firecracker contest bursts with eccentric characters that define southern gothic.
You can look at beth henleys the miss firecracker contest now onstage in a marvelous production at tipping point theatre, from a few angles. Catherine dybiec holm, critical essay on the miss firecracker contest, in drama for students, thomson gale, 2005. The miss firecracker contest beth henley the miss firecracker contest by beth henley the play. From the author of crimes of the heart, the miss firecracker contest is a southern gothic comedy for which henley is best known. Apr 16, 2014 a small town beauty pageant sets the scene for the miss firecracker contest, a southern comedy by jacksons own beth henley. Miss firecracker not a dud, but it misses key sad notes. In addition to hunter, the movie also features wonderful performances by mary steenburgen as carnelles cousin elain, a former miss firecracker and alfre woodard as seamtress popeye jackson. One of the most offbeat, funny, poignant plays to come to ramona in some years, the miss firecracker contest opens at the ramona hillside players rhp on november 15. Together with her quirky friend popeye and erratic duo of cousins, elain and delmount, she braves the odds to prove the world wrong. Why, representative louis pooleys gonna be here this very year to put the crown on the winners head. Popeye is the seamstress who makes carnelles costume.
This is strictly confidential, but the word is out that the only real contenders for the miss firecracker crown are you and caroline jeffers. Few think she can win, even her closest friends and relatives e. Why representative louis pooleys going to be here this very year to put the crown on the winners head. At the core of this comedy is the authors weird sense of humor and her compassionate view of human fraility. The miss firecracker contest lone star college system. The miss firecracker contest by wimberley players feb.
The css production of the miss firecracker contest. From the author of crimes of the heart, the miss firecracker contest is a. Its heroine, carnelle, is an irrepressible young woman who thinks that winning the local beauty contest will restore her soiled reputation and make her somebody in her small mississippi community. Her nickname is the result of a childhood prank gone wrong. Carnelle mc wolfe, left is bent on winning the local beauty pageant, and popeye neda armstrong is her devoted. May 28, 1984 when beth henley is really flying, her comic voice has the crazed yet liberating sound of a rebel yell. As the miss firecracker contest opens, carnelle scott is practicing her talent routine for the upcoming fourth of july beauty pageant in brookhaven, mississippi. The place is the small mississippi town of brookhaven, the time a few days before the fourth of july. The miss firecracker contest runs through sunday, november 22, 2015. She is attempting to redeem her reputation by entering and winning the miss firecracker contest.
Miss firecracker is based on beth henleys 1984 play. It was just a really great experience, i was already friends with emily and katie and kat, and i got to be better friends with stephen and christian. If you enjoy a bit of quirkiness and over the top performances than the miss firecracker contest will light up the stage and sparkle for. In miss firecracker, the playwright beth henley has taken such a contest, the fourth of july pageant in yazoo city, miss. It got a production at the manhattan theatre club offbroadway in 1984 directed by stephen tobolowsky, who was henleys romantic partner at the time. Assisting her in this venture is popeye jackson, an extremely odd and. The boston post road stage company is offering a delightful account of the miss firecracker contest, a funny and touching play by beth henley. Firecracker, a beth henley comedy the new york times. The miss firecracker contest fort hays state university. The miss firecracker contest is a southern literature play written by beth henley. The unexpected arrival of her cousin elain, a former miss firecracker winner. The miss firecracker contest, is superficially, a comedy about a small town southern beauty pageant, in which henley reflects in a sardonic manner on how and why women put themselves through such contests. All this is leading up to the climactic fourth of july miss.
The miss firecracker contest wins with laughs and drama encore. Carnelle scott known locally as miss hot tamale is rehearsing furiously for the miss firecracker contesthoping that a victory will salvage her tarnished reputation. In the process she earned for herself the monicker of miss hot tamale. Carnelle hires popeye, an odd girl from poor beginnings, to sew her. The want for notoriety, male attention, and freedom from a stale marriage drive three women in different paths for acceptance, as footlight players kick off their spring season with beth henleys the miss firecracker contest. The miss firecracker contest by wimberley players ctx live. A previous winner of the miss firecracker contest, she is. Elain enters with the news that popeye is missing and thus cannot fix the.
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