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Dream Depot cast gave gift of laughter to crowd of 60-75

You just can't feel bad when you are around the Dream Depot cast; they continue to inspire and give gifts of laughter and music to crowds of local fans as they did once again Saturday evening at the VFW Hall, 411 Fairground ST, in Columbia, KY. If you can resist laughing over at least one the lines or applauding spontaneously at the extraordinary voices, then one of them will probably wind up praying with you until you see the light...but that's another play.
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By Linda Waggener
CM resident theater critic and devoted Depot fan


The Dream Depot crew met at Sonny's Country Cafe Saturday night, bringing together their own script and talent in a play by that title. A crowd of 60-75 enjoyed the play written and played by members of the community.

A little food was sold at the cafe... (well, actually very little, as even proprietor Sonny, himself, couldn't really recommend their cooking) and so most customers just wound up purchasing bottled water. He was telling one new customer to just go on to Moore's Pool Room or out to Betty's OK Country Cooking if they really wanted some good food, that is until one of the other proprietor twins, Myrtie or Girtie, slapped him upside his "greasy cap" and reminded him that food was served at their own place of business.



Perhaps the reason Sonny's Country Cafe is not on the Fortune 500 list, yet, is because he forgot to charge any of the restaurant customers for their toast and/or bottled water. He did think of finance, however, and set up the bus depot sign and charge his one bus customer, played by Debbie Bell in a character that has much potential for another play someday. She was the little old lady who toddled into the restaurant to get a ticket and paid her fare ever so slowly in coins. In the cast photo that goes with this story she is the one with her cane pointed at Sonny's head.

Thinking that a talent scout was in their midst a lot of good picking and singing interspersed the lines of the play and made the time go by fast in two acts.

The cast included:
  • Judy Somerville, who played a retired postmistress who hangs out in the cafe and offers her opinion right regularly

  • Debbie Bell, little old lady mentioned above, there for her bus ticket

  • Elaine Bennett and Trilby Vance, creative sisters and proprietors along with Sonny, who are real-life sisters. They are both known for their excellent cooking, well remember by gourmets, gourmands, and epicureans when the two worked together in Angle's Cafe and Lainey's Diner

  • Sonny Vance, for whom Sonny's cafe is named

  • Richie Symmes, a good singer and guitar player just hoping for a break from the talent scout

  • Brothers Neal and Gerald Sneed. Neal is a well known singing artist and comedian from many performances in Depot history and he has now recruited his brother Gerald

  • Mackie Jo Pennington is both singer and actor and played a very convincing "Miss Prudence" opposite Neal's gigolo character

  • Yulonda Bradshaw, What a fantastic voice! The woman can sing anywhere and she is in demand all the time

  • Jackie Brown, who, because of an amazing performance, may be called Tammy Wynette

  • Jennifer Biggs, one who has helped with Depot management for a long time, who has begun to appear on stage acting and singing - good job!

  • and Shawn Samuell, mentioned last here because I just needed more time to think how to describe this man's extraordinary vocal range as heard in a multitude of performances in the community theaters of Columbia, Russell Springs and Edmonton, who, on top of a full time job, serves as a voice coach helping future singers find their own voices
It is hoped that no characters were left off -- if so, please faithful readers, send me a note (linda@columbiamagazine.com) and I'll add. There was no printed program from which to get the information, as is true with any well-known, local, everybody-knows-us-here food joint, Sonny's doesn't hold much with official fancy descriptives. -Linda Waggener

The Dream Depot's next act will be at 7pmCT, December 11, 2010 for their Christmas Show, at the VFW Hall, 411 Fairground ST, Columbia, KY.


This story was posted on 2010-10-24 11:08:51
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Dream Depot performs Sonnys Country Cafe at VFW Hall



2010-10-24 - Columbia, KY - Photo by Linda Waggener. VFW Hall, 411 Fairground ST, Columbia, KY
The Dream Depot crewall met at Sonny's Country Cafe last Saturday night, bringing together their own script and talent. A little food ... (well, actually very little food as even Sonny, himself, couldn't really recommend their cooking) and a lot of good picking and singing, made the time go by fast in two acts. Seated, from left, are: Judy Somerville, Debbie Bell, Elaine Bennett, Sonny Vance, Trilby Vance and Richie Simms. Back row, from left: Gerald Sneed, Mackie Jo Pennington, Neal Sneed, Yulonda Bradshaw, Jackie Brown, Jennifer Biggs and Shawn Samuell. Their next act will be December 11, 2010 for their Christmas Show, same time, 7 p.m., same place, at the VFW building.

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Cafe scene in hilarious local production: Sonnys Country Cafe



2010-10-24 - Photo by Linda Waggener. VFW Hall, 411 Fairground ST, Columbia, KY
Jenny Bennett Cundiff, center, is the daughter of one of the owners of the cafe and therefore had a perfect right to drop in behind the counter and make a hotdog. Snacks were sold from among the props before the play and at the intermission. But then during the play Sonny was unable to recommend their food to patrons and sent them on to Moore's Pool Room or Betty's OK Country Cooking.

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