Roy Clark (Tommy Kohlenberg) and Bonnie Cleghorn (Ramona Jones) perform “Send the Light” Monday at the Donald E. Green Senior Center as part of the Senior Outreach Organization’s presentation of “The Hee Haw Show.” (Seth Miller for The Cullman Tribune)
CULLMAN – The Donald E. Green Senior Center was transformed into “Kornfield Kounty” Monday afternoon for the Senior Outreach Organization’s presentation of “The Hee Haw Show,” the first performance of its kind for the organization and a huge success. It was standing room only at the senior center!
Directed by Jamie Brown, the cast and band practiced three times a week for three months for the big show. Roy Clark and Grandpa Jones (Tommy Kohlenberg and Terrell Dobbins) opened the show and cracked jokes with Minnie Pearl (Jolene Hammick).
Several all-star guests performed on the Hee Haw stage including Loretta Lynn (Barbara Whitehead), Eddie Arnold (Buddy Bailey), Johnny Cash (Roy Moon), Marty Robbins (Cletus Hopkins) and Bonnie Cleghorn (Ramona Jones). The Hee Haw Gospel Quartet had hands clapping, feet stomping and folks singing along to “I’ll Fly Away” and “She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain.”
Perhaps the greatest reaction came when Grandpa Jones and the Hee Haw Gang performed a spirited rendition of “Mountain Dew.” Grandpa Jones also sang an old favorite “Old Rattler.” Roy Clark took the stage delivering “Five Pounds of Possum in My Headlights” and “Rabbit in a Log,” which moved many to dance and clog.
Pfft!! You was Gone!!
Of course, it wouldn’t be Hee Haw without the skits! The cast performed several segments of the most famous weekly segment, “Where Oh Where are You Tonight?”
The Gossip Girls, Vern and Ida Lee Nagger (Ed Hevey and Sharon Mc Clanahan), Cornfield Jokes and the Hee Haw Jug Band brought huge laughs.
“Gloom, Despair and Agony” was performed by Dwight Johnson, Jim Anderton, Terrell Dobbins and Tommy Kohlenberg. Faye Ratliff, Ann Anderton, Jolene Hammick, Sharon McClanahan and Margie Johnson made up the Hee Haw Jug Band.
Junior Samples (Robert Shumate) stopped by in an attempt to sell a good used car. Known for selling clunkers, Samples made sure everyone knew his phone number, BR 549!
The show was a wonderful escape and trip down memory lane.
It concluded with “Good Night Everybody” from the Hee Haw Gang. The cast thanked Brown for all her hard work and presented her with a dozen long stem red roses.
Brown said, “I can’t be prouder of this cast. I’ve never seen a group of people that’s put their heart in this show as much as they have. The seniors have got their stuff together!”
Seniors are encouraged to come out and join the Senior Outreach Organization on the first, second and third Saturday nights of each month at The Link of Cullman County from 5-8:30 p.m. for a great meal, fellowship, live music and dancing. The address is 708 Ninth St. SE in Cullman.
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