Jennifer Rader, left, and Althea Smith, right, star as daughter and mother in the upcoming production of ‘The Eulogy’ at Tyler Civic Theatre Center. The performance will be one weekend only from Sept. 12 — 15, at Tyler Civic Theatre Center located at 400 Rose Park Dr. in Tyler. (Contributed Photo)

Tyler Civic Theatre Center is ready to break away from the norm with a production that defies the usual staleness of eulogies. ‘The Eulogy,’ a funny and touching play by East Texas’ own Jill Bradley, promises to deliver a compelling blend of humor and heartfelt emotion.

“This play is one the most honest pieces of work I’ve ever written because so much of it is based in truth,” Bradley said. “The theme of grief is generally universal to loss, and that is certainly felt here.”

When Adelaide Baker, a prickly southern woman passes away, her oldest daughter, Piper, is tasked with delivering her eulogy. As the family gathers, hilarious tales of Adelaide’s hijinks are shared. Through these memories, Piper finds a renewed appreciation for sisterhood and family.

“All the characters and much of the dialogue comes directly from my family and friends — their personalities, their relationships, and the way they each react to tragedy,” Bradley said. “The play is firmly rooted in reality. So, I hope that it will come across as genuine.”

Set in the cozy and inviting Rogers Theatre at TCTC, the play offers a uniquely immersive experience for its audience. With a cast of skilled local actors delivering authentic and emotionally powerful performances, the production ensures a memorable experience that will resonate with viewers long after the curtain has fallen.

“We are thrilled to present The Eulogy to our community,” said DeAnna Hargrove, Executive Director of Tyler Civic Theatre Center, in a press release. “This play delves into themes that touch us all — loss, love, and the journey towards healing. It’s a story that reflects the resilience of the human spirit and the power of love.”

Bradley was named Winner of the 2023 People’s Choice Award from the New Play Festival, which she says has inspired her to write from a more personal experience: “…which can be scary but the payoff is certainly worth it.”

She wrote a one-woman show called Dirty Laundry that was recently performed in Fort Worth.

“It is a snapshot of a year in my life between divorcing my first husband and meeting my current husband,” Bradley said. “Writing The Eulogy gave me the courage to create an even more deeply personal work.”

Initially titled ‘Mothers and Daughters,’ ‘The Eulogy’ began as a writing project for Bradley’s graduate school playwriting class as a 10-minute, two person play inspired by the relationship between her mother and grandmother.

“When the original version was created, my grandmother was still alive but when I started working on the two-act version, she had passed away,” Bradley said. “Writing is a very healing act for me so there was some catharsis in basing the show around her funeral.”

Directed by Tyler native Kiara Hawkins and starring a stellar cast of local actors, this play promises to transform a typical goodbye into an unforgettable celebration of love and community.

“I was drawn to direct ‘The Eulogy’ because I loved the presence of family throughout the show and the bond that sisters have,” Hawkins said. “This show showcased the funny moments that a family shares, but also the really tough parts as well.”

Hawkins found it easy to follow the playwright’s vision due to Bradley’s effective communication and the play’s well-crafted script, which made the directing process effortless.

“(She) did a great job at not leaving a lot of questions unanswered and I think that just goes to show how talented she is as a writer,” Hawkins said. “I wanted to stay as true to the script as possible, so I didn’t change anything.”

When it came to the design of the play’s sets, the director said she drew from personal experience and research. For Act 1, she created a Southern-style kitchen inspired by her great grandmother’s own home, ensuring an authentic and nostalgic atmosphere. For Act 2, she aimed for a simple church setting.

“I collaborated with Eli Johnson my technician and Randall Ator my stage manager to come up with a set that wouldn’t be overpowering on the Rogers stage, but will also make the audience feel that they are truly a part of being in the kitchen or the church in Act 2,” she said.

Hawkins also worked closely with the actors, by leaning on realism and asking questions about what they think and how they feel in the moment.

“We talked a lot about time in this show and a timeline of their mother’s health decline and how that looked like in moments throughout the play and how we could translate that out stage,” Hawkins said. “As actors we naturally think about our own personal grief and family dynamics and so we had a lot of conversations about how to translate that on stage in a safe way.”

Bradley was not involved in the casting or the director as she likes to give them freedom to put their own imprint in the production. Especially after a show she had in 2017, The Disappearance of Maud Crawford, also by Tyler Civic Theatre.

“I went in not knowing what to expect and the production was gorgeous,” she said. “I have complete faith in the actors’ and director’s ability to tell this story.”

Althea Smith, who portrays Elderly Adelaide, drew inspiration from Jessica Tandy’s Daisy Werthan character in the movie, ‘Driving Miss Daisy’ and Vicki Lawrence’s Mama character on the classic TV comedy, ‘The Carol Burnett Show.’

“Adelaide’s character is central to the theme, since she is a difficult person to deal with, and all of the surrounding characters are affected by her at each stage of life that is portrayed,” Smith said. “All of the characters work together to show how one person affects others and is also affected by others throughout a lifetime, and they all must figure out how to best live with the consequences of everyone’s choices.”

Smith finds the role particularly rewarding, relishing the opportunity to immerse herself completely in her performance on stage.

“I love playing a character like Elderly Adelaide who is so colorful and demanding,” she said. “The role requires confidence and consistency.”

Amidst the whirlwind of grief and family drama, audiences will find themselves enveloped in a tapestry of stories that celebrate life’s messy, endearing moments.

“My family has always dealt with hard times through humor. A quote from Carrie Fisher that resonates with me is ‘if my life weren’t funny, it would just be true,’” Bradley said. “I think laughter through tears is the most beautiful and human thing and it’s a feeling I aspired to achieve with this play.”

Bradley, Hawkins, and the cast hope that audiences will find The Eulogy relatable, resonating with the universal themes of family, grief, and healing portrayed in the play.

“I hope audiences walk away with a renewed appreciation for family and their own cherished memories,” Bradley said.

The performance will be one weekend only from Sept. 12-15, at Tyler Civic Theatre Center located at 400 Rose Park Dr. in Tyler. You can purchase tickets by visiting bit.ly/tickets_theeulogy. You can also call the theatre at 903-592-0561 or visit their website at tylercivictheatre.com.