Ronnie Claire Edwards

Originally, Corabeth was only supposed to be in one episode. But since Ms. Edwards is such a wonderful actress, they re-shot the entire episode and kept her as a regular!

Roles in Television:

Designing Women: Played Charlene's mother (Ione) in "Nashville Bound" and "Hurry Up and Marry Me Bill"

The Torkelsons: Played Bootsie in "For Love or Money," "The Cotillion," "A Kiss is Still A Kiss," and "Men Don't Leave"

Dallas: Played Lydia, a psychic

Murder She Wrote: Sylvia McMasters in "Snow White, Blood Red"

Star Trek: The Next Generation: Talur in "Thine Own Self"

Boone: Aunt Dolly

Sara: Helen Newcomb

Just in Time

Paper Moon: "Miracle Woman"

Theatre:

Driving Miss Daisy: Dallas and Bucks County Playhouse (image from the latter)

Steel Magnolias: 9/16/88 at the Pasadena (CA) Playhouse

Movies and TV Movies:

8 Seconds: Carolyn Kyle

The Dead Pool: Molly Fisher

Nobody's Fool: Bingo

Perfect: Melody

Getting Wasted

Five Days From Home: Marian

All the Way Home: Sally

Future Cop

Sweet Bird of Youth: Aunt Nonnie

When Everyday Was Fourth of July: Mrs. Narjarian

Written by Ronnie Claire Edwards (who for many years played Corabeth Godsey on "The Waltons") and Allen Crowe (writer for TV's "Evening Shade" and "Designing Women"), the musical comedy features two actors who play numerous fans of Elvis Presley. The fans they portray are sometimes funny, sometimes touching, and all obsessed with The King.

The actors are kept busy with lightning-fast costume changes as they bring to life multiple characters, including a grocery clerk, a visionary, a Las Vegas showgirl and a pair of hitchhikers. Some of the characters are hilarious, such as the aging couple who travel around exhibiting the commode Elvis used at their gas station sometime in the 1970s. Some are just plain bizarre—like one fellow who's convinced that dentists are conspiring with the US government to place spy devices in tooth fillings, and that Elvis is speaking to him in code through a form letter. Best of all are the moments that bring tears to your eyes: a fragile flower child whose delusions are alternately hilarious and heartbreaking, a fragile waitress with a sick child Elvis helped, and a spinster piano teacher who escapes into fantasies of Elvis being her man.

Between scenes the character of "The King" re-creates 16 hit songs, including "Jailhouse Rock," "Burning Love" and "Love Me Tender," with a live, onstage band. The showstopping finale features Elvis serenading with a medley including "Dixie," "Battle Hymn of the Republic," "How Great Thou Art" and "America." For this number The King appears in the now-famous white-sequined jumpsuit with cape.

If you are a die-hard Elvis Presley fan or if you've always wondered exactly what people see in his music, this is the show for you. Even if you've never considered yourself a devotee, you might very well come away with a heightened appreciation for Mr. Presley and a more sympathetic image of those who go to great lengths in their adoration for The King.

Here is what some newspapers say about the play:

"Hey, Rep: Thank you, thank you very much. Some of the funniest lines you're likely to hear anywhere. Singing so infectious that you will absolutely not be able to sit still. The staging of the play's final moments, when the various characters almost tumble over each other, is remarkable!" -- Arkansas Times

"For Edwards and Crowe seem to have a genuine fondness for these folks they've created -- no matter how outlandish the characters might get, there's not a bit of mean-spirited mockery anywhere. It's hard to shake the impression that the King of Rock and roll has returned to life." -- Little Rock Free Press