By Blair Moore, Tribune Features
TRUSSVILLE — As the final notes of White Christmas rang out in Trussville’s ACTA Theatre on Sunday evening, the audience rose to their feet in applause. The only thing brighter than the stage lights were the smiles of the cast members, who had spent months preparing to create magical moments like these. Their hard work paid off in spades, with all eight shows selling out and receiving the warmest reception from the community they could have hoped for.
“We loved White Christmas!” said ACTA season ticket holder Susan Hornsby, who attended with her husband. “The singing, acting, and dancing were all fabulous. We are always amazed at the talent y’all find in Trussville, but this one tops them all!”
Jonny Cates and Josh McDaniel in White Christmas.
Attendee Ashley Sizemore echoed the sentiment, calling the show “the best, most charming, most visually appealing show I’ve seen.”
The show’s visual splendor was no small feat—and it was a true team effort. The cast and community members stepped up to build the set, make props, and prepare the impressive number of costumes outside rehearsal times.
White Christmas was the first ACTA show that Trussville resident Carrie Baker had ever attended. “I loved every minute of it,” she said. “It was so quaint and charming, and then the talent blew me away! I can’t believe how many talented people are right here in our community.”
Part of the theatre’s charm comes from its intimate setting. Located in Trussville’s historic Heritage Hall building, it offers 89 permanent seats, with the capacity to accommodate up to 111 guests per show using folding chairs at the back. This setup ensures a close-up experience for every theatergoer.
This production of White Christmas featured lively musical numbers and heartfelt performances by the 26-member cast, each selected by Director Paige Turner during auditions in September. Turner, who has directed over 25 shows, retired to the beach in 2020 but returned to Trussville in 2021, drawn back by her love for the community and involvement at ACTA. “This cast was the most talented group I’ve had the privilege to direct—amazing voices that created a unique blend, and dancers from ages 9 to 68 who worked tirelessly to learn to tap dance and execute choreography designed by co-director Paula Brown,” Turner said. The tap-dancing number “I Love a Piano” became a crowd favorite, earning mid-performance applause night after night.
Brown, who taught theater at Hewitt-Trussville High School for over 20 years, directed White Christmas twice during her time there. “This is one of my favorite shows to have ever been involved with—not only because it’s a holiday classic, but this cast was wonderful and ever so
Diane Waud was a hit on stage.
talented! They were always willing to be versatile and work extra hard,” Brown said. “I had the most wonderful experience, and I’ll never get over working with Paige and all the cast and crew. ACTA truly is a one-of-a-kind theatre, and I am blessed to be a part of it!”
This December’s run was filled with surprises for the audience and cast alike. Cast member Teriann Bailey, a participant in a national leadership program at Honda, discovered that over 20 colleagues in Birmingham the week of the show had secured tickets to see her perform. Another night, Howard Green (General Waverly) spotted a group holding oversized “fathead” posters of him during the curtain call. The posters were brought by his 93-year-old mother and her friends, members of the O.W.L.S.—Older, Wiser, Livelier Seniors, who had a ball at their theater outing. “The O.W.L.S. loved the show!” said Green.
Photo Credit- Whitson Edwin Adams Photo Editing- Rachel-Kate McGee
The cast featured familiar ACTA faces like Abbie Copus (Betty Davis) and Josh McDaniel (Phil Davis), alongside new-to-Trussville talents such as Rachel-Kate McGee (Judy Davis) and Kaylor Otwell, a former New York equity actress who charmed audiences as the ditzy showgirl Rhoda. Diane Waud, known as “Grandma” from the popular YouTube channel It’s a Southern Thing, brought sincerity, comedic timing, and vocal power to her role as Martha. Her show-stopping performance of “Let Me Sing and I’m Happy” delighted the audience—and the cast—at every performance. “Martha ‘The Megaphone’ Watson was such a fun role!” said Waud. “Martha will be a part of me for a while!”
Real life father and daughter, Jonny and Olivia Cates, shared the stage.
The play was a family affair in more ways than one. Four parents performed with their children, including Jonny Cates (Bob Wallace) who shared the stage with his daughter Olivia. “My daughter was my inspiration for getting back on stage after 22 years,” Cates said. “I was blessed to be on the stage with Livie, who is talented well beyond her years. The confidence of this 9-year-old little girl has made me want to do bigger and better things with my life and to continue to be beside her as she grows as a performing artist.”
Cates, a retired Marine, overcame self-doubt to confidently play the leading role. “Until you have stood on that stage for all to observe and critique, it is hard for audience members to appreciate the amount of work that goes into preparing your body, mind, voice, and spirit to put yourself out there for the world to see,” he explained. “It’s no easy task, and I will forever be grateful to ACTA Theatre, Paige Turner, Paula Brown, and all of the wonderful castmates who helped to bring this Christmas classic to life.”
Married couple Alan and Sherri Easdon, who have been in numerous ACTA shows together, portrayed the couple Mr. and Mrs. Snoring Man on stage and both sang in the quintet, contributing to the tight five-part harmonies in “The Best Things Happen While You’re Dancing.”
Easdon said he initially hesitated to audition for White Christmas. “But I’m so glad I did!” he shared. “At our first cast meeting, I knew right away this was going to be a great show with a very close cast. That’s the best part—this cast not only acted and sang well together but became true friends.”
Ross Hickman agreed. “From professional vocalists to first-time performers, everyone was valued. We weren’t just performing; we were telling our story together and inviting the audience to become a part of it.”
Rachel-Kate McGee and Josh McDaniel in ACTA’s White Christmas
Of course, no live production is without its mishaps. There were wardrobe malfunctions like dress zippers that broke mid-show, prop drinks that spilled on stage, and even a rather loud snow machine that caused coughing fits (which had to be scrapped). But the cast took it all in stride—laughing about it and rallying together to put on the best possible show.
Much of the cast bonding happened during rehearsals and backstage. Before each performance, they gathered to sing “Father, I Adore You” in rounds, then exchanged words of encouragement—a tradition Turner started years ago. This cast celebrated multiple birthdays during the show’s run and even shared backstage meals like Monique Anella’s gumbo. “My favorite things about the show are not the individual moments but the overall union and love shown throughout the cast,” Anella said. “A group of primarily strangers come together over 10 weeks and walk away in the end loving and caring for each other in ways we never expected. It’s the magic of theater!”
“This was genuinely the most thoughtful, sympathetic, and talented cast I’ve ever shared the stage with,” added Chris Beaver. He thinks back fondly on the night that all of the younger performers started doing the Macarena to the tune of the show’s classic tune “The Old Man.” “That was honestly my favorite backstage moment—maybe ever,” he said with a laugh.
And while Christmas in Alabama is not likely to be white, ACTA’s talented cast and crew created holiday magic that will linger long after the final curtain call. To learn more about upcoming shows, visit actatheater.com.
