The Williams Baptist University (WBU) Theatre Program is set to begin its 2025-26 season with the comedy *A Bad Year for Tomatoes*. The production will run for three performances from Thursday, October 1, to Saturday, October 3, in WBU’s Startup Chapel in Walnut Ridge.
The farce, a two-act play written by John Patrick, will be directed by Melinda Williams, assistant professor of communication arts at WBU. It follows the story of Mary Marlowe, a starlet weary of the pressures of fame who retreats to a small New England town to write her autobiography. However, her plans for solitude unravel as she contends with nosy neighbors, a fabricated eccentric sister, and unexpected romance from a local handyman.
“The play is just fun,” said Williams. “There is a line in the play taken from a poem by Sir Walter Scott that says, ‘Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive!’ I think that sums up the complications in the play.”
The cast of *A Bad Year for Tomatoes* includes Macy Miller of Walnut Ridge in the lead role as Mary Marlowe. Isaiah Doty of Pocahontas plays her agent, Tom Lamont. Myra’s neighbors, known for their meddling ways, are portrayed by Molly Tabor of Walnut Ridge, Kendal LeQuieu of Cabot, and Chara Quattlebaum of Forrest City. Piney, the local handyman who becomes infatuated with the starlet’s fictitious sister, is played by Cade Elam of Jonesboro. The ensemble is rounded out by Kaylee Leake of Wynne.
The first two performances of the play are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 1, and Friday, October 2. A matinee showing will take place at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 3. Tickets are $5 for students and senior citizens and $8 for general admission.
Williams Baptist University is a private Christian institution located in Walnut Ridge.