The Tellico Community Players are hard at work getting ready to perform “A Red Plaid Shirt,” their first production of 2022, on Feb. 17-20 and Feb. 24-28 at the Tellico Community Playhouse.

The play, written by Canadian Michael G. Wilmot, is a comedy involving two retired couples. The wives are doing OK, but the men are lost without their careers and struggling to find themselves. Their wives tell them they must find something to occupy their time.

Village residents shouldn’t be surprised to see a little of themselves in the characters.


The play is directed by Sue Aukerman, a former school teacher and principal who, like the characters in the play, was also looking for an enjoyable and productive activity during retirement years when she discovered the local acting group about five years ago.

“We are truly a community theater,” Aukerman said. “Half our actors are from outside the Village.”

During an “off-book” rehearsal last week, she was every bit the school principal, directing performers to the correct spots on the set and providing help with lines when memories failed.

Her husband, Hugh, also a retired principal, serves as stage manager for the production when he’s not pursuing his other hobby of woodworking. The audience will learn more about the connection between retirees and woodworking during the performance.

The cast includes Russ Rinehart as Marty, Barbara Kistler-Martin as Deb, Bill Paxson as Fred Baxter and Lisa Silverman as Gladys Baxter.

During the rehearsal, several of the cast and crew were wearing red plaid shirts. Why? Because, as Marty says early in the play, “Nothing says the manly arts like a red plaid shirt.”

Marty is a retired man searching for the “manly” way to spend his time. He can’t seem to find it sitting on the couch.

Rinehart, who is playing in his sixth role, said he was not a lot different than Marty before he found his muse on the stage with the Tellico Community Players. Marty’s dreams involve motorcycles or maybe woodworking.

Marty’s wife Deb is quite busy with the library club. She isn’t about to let Marty waste any more of his, or her, time sitting on the couch, but she’s not exactly thrilled about his choices. Motorcycles or woodworking seem like good ways of getting hurt, she responds.

Kistler-Martin, who started acting in local productions as a child, said she doesn’t have any trouble channeling Deb’s wit and sarcasm. She said an acting coach once told her that she needs to find the piece of the character she identifies with and let that part of her personality be her guide.

“The issue with Deb is finding the part of me that is not in this role,” she said.

Fred and Gladys Baxter are the foils to Marty and Deb. Both parts are played by relatively experienced actors.

Paxon, in his 25th performance on stage, plays Fred, a hypochondriac who just can’t seem to figure out what is wrong with him. A compulsive pulse taker, he is just what Marty is afraid of becoming.

“Fred has gone all weird since he retired,” Marty said.

Silverman is a chemist by profession and a comedic actress mostly by choice. She said she enjoys drama, but her physical comedic skills seem to have led her to roles like Gladys.

Gladys wants Fred to get a life and woodworking sounds like a good way to get him out of the house.

The couples play off each other like classic husband and wife comedy teams in shows like “The Honeymooners” and “I Love Lucy.” Fans of shows like “Home Improvement” will appreciate the carpentry and woodworking references.

Tickets for the event are on sale now. Reserved seats are $21 and available online at www.tellicocommunity playhouse.org.