Playhouse Merced puts on ‘Greater Tuna’ comedic series

Playhouse Merced promises to close its 2014-15 season with laughter by presenting a series of four comedic plays over the course of four days.

Two actors will attempt to portray more than 30 characters as they put on “The Greater Tuna Quadrilogy: Greater Tuna; Tuna Christmas; Red, White and Tuna; and Tuna Does Vegas,” all written by Jaston Williams, Joe Sears and Ed Howard.

Each show will be featured on a different day.

“Greater Tuna” will play Thursday. The quadrilogy features brothers Rob and Joseph Hypes, who play every resident in Tuna, the fictitious third-smallest town in Texas.

On Friday night, “Tuna Christmas” will take the stage. “Red, White and Tuna” will play Saturday and “Tuna Does Vegas” will play Sunday.

“It’s a unique idea for Merced,” said actor and artistic director Rob Hypes in a press release. “I don’t know if this kind of thing has been tried before. We usually spend weeks rehearsing one show and then perform for a few weekends.”

“For this, we are doing four shows back to back to back to back and with just myself and my brother on stage. There is nowhere to hide,” he said.

Taking on such feat is something many theaters in the country have not yet attempted, Hypes said.

There are special discounts available for those who want to see multiple shows over the four-day run. The show, which started Thursday, will play two weekends through June 14. Tickets are now on sale for the Thursday, Friday and Saturday shows at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m.

People may purchase tickets by going online to www.facebook.com/PlayhouseMerced, calling (209) 725-8587, or visiting the box office at 452 West Main St., Merced. The box office is open from 1 to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

This story was originally published June 4, 2015 at 5:09 PM with the headline "Playhouse Merced puts on ‘Greater Tuna’ comedic series."