Larry Hembree sings for his theatre

Trustus Theater Executive Director Larry Hembree is planning a fundraiser show featuring his favorite things – most of which are stupid and inappropriate, by his own description.

“Larry’s Favorite Things” is a three-part production that will take the stage at Music Farm on Thursday, June 4.

Part one features Larry’s favorite bad singing group, the Twitty Triplets. The Twitty Triplets are a satirical singing group made up of three fictitious sisters all named after South Carolina towns – Aynor, Monetta and Cayce – because their father was in charge of hanging road signs across the state. The triplets will sing a medley of Cher songs to kick off the show.

The second part of the show will feature six soloists singing six of Larry’s actual favorite songs, many of them from musical theater.

“I will be narrating the whole thing and drinking heavily,” Hembree said.

The third part of the show is a “very abbreviated, very offensive” version of “The Sound of Music,” featuring all male actors.

“Larry’s Favorite Things” is the fifth theatrical fundraiser Hembree has produced. The first three were during his tenure as the executive director of The Nickelodeon.

The first production was “Larry’s Family Reunion,” followed the next year by “Larry’s Funeral,” in which he played his own twin sister giving a eulogy.” The third year’s production was “My Big, Fat, Redneck, Gay Wedding.”

Last year’s production, the first to benefit Trustus, was “Larry’s Bring-Your-Own-Dinner Dinner Theater.”

No matter what the theme, the shows always have two things in common – people doing stupid things, and hula hoops, Hembree said. (Hembree was a hula hoop champion in the early and mid-70s.)

The shows are always planned on or around Hembree’s birthday on June 5. This year he turns 55, which will be celebrated when the clock strikes midnight after Thursday’s production.

“Larry’s Favorite Things” begins at 7 p.m. Thursday, and the doors at Music Farm open at 6 p.m. Music Farm is located at 1022 Senate Street, and all tickets are general admission. Tickets are $30 each and available through musicfarm.com or at the door. This show is for audiences ages 18 and older.

Bridget Winston, Special to The State