Roanoke-Chowan Patriot: Gates County Historical Society Produces <br>"Life Goes On"

The annual Gates County Historical Society theatrical production started rehearsals last week. Following up on the success of last year's production of "Miracle on 34th Street", an ambitious undertaking for our Inner Banks area, Edith Seiling of the Gates County Historical Society is once again bringing our area an impressive theatrical event. This year's event is Life Goes On, written by Pamlico County Superior Court Judge James E. Ragan. Dr. Joyce Elliott Brown is directing the play for the Historical Society.

Edith Seiling (Producer), Joyce Elliott Brown (Director), Peggy Lefler (Production Manager) And Earl Spence (Bailiff Melvin With His Back To The Camera)

Life Goes On is a comedy, and will be presented live in the "Godwin Courtroom" of the Old Gates County Courthouse for the purpose of raising funds for renovations to the Old Gates County Courthouse. Life Goes On was written by Judge Ragan during periods he was staying at an Ahoskie Motel while serving on a trial in our area.

Sam Tackett And Mike Lefler (Harriet And Judge George Smith)

Life Goes On opens with Judge George Smith talking with his friends Dr. Herb Witherspoon and Roger Norris about the trio’s recent financial loss in a failed “get-rich-quick” scheme. The scheme is a perpetual preservation system (a new embalming technique that lets you preserve the deceased) and is a good idea with strong research to prove its success (at least with animals); however, the person hired to promote the system ran off with the money.

Bob Bryan And Rene Winslow (Roger And Nellie Norris)

Judge Smith invested his and his wife’s entire life savings in the system, and now he is worried that something will happen to him before his survivor’s benefits vest. As fate would have it, that is just what happens--Judge Smith dies 30 days before his survivor benefits vest, and the judge’s wife Harriet is left penniless.

Garrett Maroney And Peggy Temple (Dr. Herb And Ann Witherspoon)

Thus ensues the harried conspiracy to cover up the judge’s death. Herb and Roger enlist the help of the judge’s office staff—Tillie, the judge’s court reporter; Bee, the judge’s secretary, and Melvin, the judge’s bailiff—to make everyone think that George is alive, but suffered a stroke and cannot speak.

Mike Lefler And Earl Spence (Judge George Smith And Bailif Melvin)

What transpires during the course of the conspiracy will have audiences holding their sides from laughing so hard. At the first reading of Life Goes On, the comedy had the cast laughing at the story, even as they were reading their lines. It is a delightful play that finds comedy in the vagaries of our court system and it's judges!

Many of our local star actors are once again participating, and rehearsal ended with all lining up for a picture to document the occasion.

First Night Rehearsal!

The hilarious cast consists of Bob Bryan as Roger Norris, Robin Hollowell as Tillie, Mike Lefler as Judge George Smith, Garrett Maroney as Herb Witherspoon, Dee-Dee Oakey as Bee, Earl Spence as Bailiff Melvin, Dean Stephens as Judge Hacker, Sam Tackett as Harriett Smith, Peggy Temple as Ann Witherspoon, and Rene Winslow as Nellie Norris.

Robin Hollowell (Tillie) And Sam Tackett (Harriet Smith - Judge George Smith's Wife)

The production dates are Friday and Saturday nights, January 27th and 28th at 8:00 PM, Sunday January 29th at 2:30 PM , the following week on Saturday February 4th at 8:00 PM, and Sunday February 5th at 2:30 PM. Please put it on your calendar and be sure to attend.