Sordid Lives

In Winters, Tex., Peggy Sue Ingram has just died during an illicit assignation with G.W. Nethercott. Oh, what a problem this proves for both parties' immediate and extended families! It is also motivation for life-changing developments. This incident touches off the plot of Del Shores' 1996 white trash comedy with dark underpinnings, "Sordid Lives," playing on weekends thanks to Island Repertory Theater Company and its artistic director, Richard LaFrance. With a cast mostly of locals, it will play through Aug. 17 at the Tides Playhouse in Cherry Grove.

LaFrance has galvanized a group of our neighbors into a terrific ensemble and elicited over-the-top performances from some of them that we never knew were lurking inside them. There are Tommy "Tush" DiMastri, playing, with grandeur, Earl "Brother Boy" Ingram, a.k.a. "Tammy Wynette," a colorful drag diva of the mental institution where Mother Peggy consigned him, for being gay and cross-dressing, 23 years before; Dell Harbin as Noleta, the downtrodden wife of G.W., who, with cohort Michelle Coffaro, worldliness itself as LaVonda Dupree, goodtime girl daughter of the deceased, discovers the strong, rebellious, and not a little glamorous Thelma, or is it Louise, within; Robyn Murray, ruthless as Dr. Eve Bolinger, Brother Boy's corrupt therapist, bent on fame and fortune, whatever the impact on her clients' welfare; Edrie Ferdun, the picture of exasperation as Sissy Hickey, Peggy's sibling, driven to distraction by the chaos surrounding her sister's death; Dennis Callahan, memorably suffering as disabled war veteran G.W., unwittingly responsible for the demise of his love; and SallyAnn Piacentino, swaggering as hymn-singing ex-convict Bitsy Mae Harling, who has a surprising revelation to make about Peggy Sue.

Going through major changes here are Barbara Flood, as Latrelle Williamson, Peggy's most conventional offspring, who can afford the luxury of denial no longer; Seth Michael Donsky, shamed into some sincere soul-searching as Wardell "Bubba" Owens, butch bar owner who helped land Earl in the 'loony bin' all those years before; and Cem Uyanik, who matures before our eyes as Ty Williamson, Latrelle's gay son, forced to flee far from Texas to find himself. Taking important supporting parts are Vicki Solomon as Juanita and John Philip doubling as Odell, Bubba's bizarre brother, and sensitive Reverend Barnes, presiding at Peggy's funeral. Kudos, too, to the production team, made up of Michael Spina, Andrew Loren Resto and Rob Wisdom.

You'll laugh in spite of yourself as the women humiliate the men by playing into their homophobia and misogyny. You'll cheer as Brother Boy triumphs over his dire circumstances. Catch "Sordid Lives" if you can. Remaining performances are this Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 7 p.m. Call (631) 597-9439 or go to www.theatermania.com for tickets, priced at $30.