The cast of “Smoke on the Mountain” at Hackmatack Playhouse. Photo by Michaela D. T. Pride

In 1972, Hackmatack Playhouse founder S. Carleton Guptill cleaned out his cow barn to pursue his dream of bringing summer stock theater to the sleepy town of Berwick, Maine. Over the past 50 years, countless theatergoers have come to stroll the grounds of the Guptill’s 1600s farm, eat homemade blueberry pie from the snack shack and enjoy an eclectic array of musicals and plays that capture Hackmatack’s charm and heart. Friday, July 29, marked the opening of the Playhouse’s final production, “Smoke On The Mountain.”

Executive Producer Michael Guptill hasn’t chosen a flashy musical for Hackmatack’s last hurrah, but rather a cute little gospel bluegrass comedy with the tagline, “Make a joyful noise!” Guptill says that the production has been on his bucket list to do for years.

Directed by Jeff Seabaugh, the musical stages a Saturday night gospel concert by the seven-piece Sanders family, a band of traveling musicians. It’s 1938, and the concert is being held at the Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in North Carolina.

The cast features Billy Butler and Emily Zentis (who doubles as the production’s music director) as Burl and Vera, the family’s patriarch and matriarch. Jacob J. Zentis is Burl’s brother Stanley; Linette Miles is Vera’s sister June; Stephen Blauch and Jules Good are Burl and Vera’s teenage twins, Dennis and Denise; and Fury rounds out the family as Cousin Judd. Evan Stechauner adds to the cast as Pastor Mervin Oglethorpe, giving an infectious child-like enthusiasm to his character.

It’s hard not to smile as the quirky Sanders family regale the audience with stories of their lives and adventures, interspersed with 25 gospel songs, flavored with a Smokey Mountain bluegrass twang. The show is packed with harmonies, backed by the cast on a variety of instruments that include, piano, guitar, standup bass, fiddle and mandolin. Even Stechauner’s pastor joins in on vocals and ukulele.

Although primarily a comedy, the musical mixes in bittersweet moments that are apropos for Hackmatack’s final show. Jacob J. Zentis lends a moving performance as the family’s recently reunited black sheep, recounting how he strayed from the family flock in both story and song.

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There are plenty of entertaining laughs throughout as the characters good-naturedly poke fun at the notion that dancing, movies, cards and the like are sinful tools of the devil. Blauch and Good offer up some of the musical’s most smile-worthy moments as the twins, who couldn’t be any more different.

Blauch wonderfully plays up Dennis’ shyness, eliciting laughter with diverting facial expressions. Good is pure fun as his feisty twin. Their duet “Christian Cowboy” is a highlight with memorable antics and harmonies and Good’s melodic soprano is nicely showcased on “I’ll Never Die; I’ll just Change My Address.”

Butler and Emily Zentis deliver strong vocals throughout as they lead the family in song. Zentis provides a high, clear soprano, with Butler adding a touch of blues that’s showcased on the five-part a cappella song “Whispering Hope.” Zentis also garners her fair share of laughter, particularly with her June bug parable, that cracked up both the cast and audience Friday night.

“Smoke On The Mountain” offers an enjoyable close to Hackmatack’s 50 years of theater. Hats off to the Guptill family and Hackmatack staff as they prepare to close their barn doors.

April Boyle is a freelance writer from Casco. Contact her at: aprilhboyle@yahoo.com.
Twitter: @ahboyle

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