Tuna, Texas..Have you ever been there?

[P.W. Doodle]

I was scrolling through the new posts and saw Quick Change and for some reason I thought...

.oO(someone has started a thread about Greater Tuna, how fun!!)

I was a little dissapointed that it wasn't, but, I got over it. Since it was on my mind, I discovered that there was a Tuna, Texas' website. I had NO idea that there was a third "installment" in the life of the residents of Tuna. It's called Red, White, and Tuna.

Are there any other fans out there of Tuna, Texas?

The following is an exerpt from the Tuna Times. It is a poem written by Miss Charlene Bumiller of Tuna.
"My Tuna."

My Tuna, oh my Tuna
The only place I know
I've often thought of leaving you
but don't know where I'd go.

For Paris has no bar-b-que and
Rome just can't compare
to a lovely Texas sunset
when the dust is in the air.

Tuna, oh my Tuna,
is such fun on Friday nights
when the Jaguars lose another
game and everybody fights.

And I love you when you're frozen
And I love you when you're dry
And In April when the pollen is so
thick it makes you cry.

But Tuna, oh my Tuna,
Please stay just the way you are
'Cause I think the world
Outside of Tuna is bizarre.

[GraceTX]

I saw Greater Tuna a few years ago and thought it was absolutely hilarious.

[Lute Skywatcher]

I saw A Tuna Christmas several years ago when visiting relatives in Sugar Land for the Holidays. Must've been '87 or so. One day I plan to get Angie into DC, something she'd rather not do, to see one of the Tuna performances.

[P.W. Doodle]

Jeff and Grace, I am glad that the two of you let me know you had "been to Tuna". I can't believe we are the only ones.

_{Maybe nobody likes me... and that's why they aren't replying}

[LindyHopper]

Actually, I just saw Greater Tuna (for the second time) a couple of weeks ago. I've also seen A Tuna Christmas (butter pie!). I think they're both hysterical.

[GraceTX]

Originally posted by P.W. Doodle
Jeff and Grace, I am glad that the two of you let me know you had "been to Tuna". I can't believe we are the only ones.

Of course I've seen it. I'm from Austin, Texas where I believe Greater Tuna started. Good stuff.

[PRNYouth]

Yep ... I've seen A Tuna Christmas. It's a great, side-splitting show.

Speaking of quick changes (as per the OP), does anyone know any details about how those two actors achieve their nearly instantaneous costume changes? I mean, I have my ideas ... involving full costumes just split down the back, but still ... that takes some TALENT!

[Revedge]

Originally posted by PRNYouth
Yep ... I've seen A Tuna Christmas. It's a great, side-splitting show.

Speaking of quick changes (as per the OP), does anyone know any details about how those two actors achieve their nearly instantaneous costume changes? I mean, I have my ideas ... involving full costumes just split down the back, but still ... that takes some TALENT!

Actually, it is not quite as difficult as it seems. The writing helps alot here. There are a lot of scenes that have one person performing a monolog onstage while the other is offstage changing. Also, they have many tricks that they use.

When I did lighting for a production of Greater Tuna, the actors started with three sets of costumes on. One over the other. When they went offstage, they just removed the frist costume and the next was underneath. Also, each actor had two dressers to help him change. (One dresser might work on the shirt, while the other the pants, and the actor would be changing his hat and/or wig.) The hard job here is for the Cosume Designer to plan out where and when the actors would be over dressing and underdressing in the show. The costumes have to be fitted while the underdressed costume is one so that they fit right. (If I remember correctly, on of our actors had three different sizes of one costume he wore during the play.)

BTW, when I saw Tuna Christmas the last time, (I swear I'm not making this up!) right before the show started, the family behind us was talking about what to do after the performance. And I heard: (In a thick Texas twang.) "What do you want to do?" "I don't know, how about lets go to the Tastee Cream?"
I thought I'd been transported to Tuna. The wife and I almost fell out of our chairs from laughing so hard.

[lawoot]

I worked this show at the East Carolina Summer Playhouse (a semi-pro summer stock theatre) back in the mid-eighties. Great show - and we had William Christopher (Father Mulcahy from M*AS*H in the cast as well (One of his characters was the 'juvenile delinquent' cousin who dresses up the corpse of the judge). Great guy!