In a joyous return to in-person performances, the Community Players of Hobbs performed to raucous laughter with their first play of their 84th season: Mama Won’t Fly. The comedic play was well received by audiences both in-person and streaming online, particularly in light of the year’s need for comedic relief.
Written in 2012 by Jamie Wooten, Jessie Jones, and Nicholas Hope, Mama Won’t Fly recounts the story of a daughter endeavoring to get her mother from Alabama to California in time for her brother’s wedding – all while relying on a vintage sedan.
The increased number of audience members for the in-person performances of the play at the Hobbs Playhouse were made possible by the shifting of Lea County to “Turquoise” status on the COVID-19 threat spectrum on March 24 by the state Department of Health. Counties that attained Turquoise status have had two consecutive weeks of being “low risk”, giving them the ability to have limited reopening for a variety of public spaces.
In the case of the Hobbs Playhouse, in-person audience members could fill 25 percent of the theater’s capacity prior to the shift to Turquoise, with even more tickets available once the change was made. An unlimited number of live streaming tickets for online audiences were also available.
The Community Players of Hobbs embraced the performance as an opportunity to bring levity back to the area, with director Sandy Goad at the helm to skillfully guide her players. Attendees hailed the play as a “great show” and being “clever and funny”, with Kelly Holladay adding “You’ll be in stitches all the way through!”
The next production planned by the Community Players of Hobbs will be Aida, a musical featuring music by Elton John and lyrics by Tim Rice. The Tony-winning production will be directed by Douglas Levy and will run from May 14-23. To download and print a musical audition form and have a shot at being a part of the production, visit this link.
Other planned productions for the 2021 season at the Hobbs Playhouse include Disney’s Aladdin, Jr. from July 15-18, the Hunt (being the annual haunted house) from October 21-23 and 29-31, and the Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge from December 16-19. For season passes, click here.
