Theatre Bristol presents “Red, White, and Tuna,” the comedy based in the third smallest town in Texas — Tuna, Texas, on stage at the Theatre Bristol ARTspace Theatre, Bristol, Tennessee, July 2 - 12. The characters from “Greater Tuna” are back and so are the laughs, as well as director Chris McVey.
Michael Locke and Fred Dunagan are back as Thurston Wheelis and Arles Struvie, news personalities for the radio station in this third-smallest town in Texas. Dan Gray and Hunter Johnson return and are joined by Justin Collea; they, along with Locke and Dunagan, portray 22 characters, including favorites Helen Bedd, Didi, Vera Carp, R.R., Bertha, Charlene and Stanley, Job Bob Lipsey, Petey Fisk, Garland and more. This time in the four-play series, a class reunion, impending wedding, plotting and revenge, animal protection, reincarnation and alien sightings mean nothing has changed in this lone star saga, and it’s just a typical day in Tuna.
Director McVey, recent director of “A Tuna Christmas,” Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas” and “Mark Twain’s “The Diaries of Adam and Eve,” is supported by stage manager Ann Vance, costumer Adriel Slaughter, props artisan Rebecca Ryan, set designer Luke Gray, technician and special effects Albert Tester, lightboard operator Harper Slaughter, lighting designer Morgan Stanley, sound designer Ethan Compton, dresser Cristy Robinson, graphic designer Camille Gray, and producer Samantha Gray.
“Red, White and Tuna” is on the ARTspace stage Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 2:30 p.m., July 2-12, including the July 4 holiday. Tickets are $16 for adults plus fees at $17.70, and $12 for seniors and students plus fees at $13.50 and are available at www.theatrebristol.org/tickets.
Written by Jaston Williams, Joe Sears and Ed Howard, the colorful Tuna residents in this holiday farce are recommended for mature, sophisticated audiences who appreciate immature unsophisticated humor.
This Tennessee America 250 project is funded in part under an agreement with the State of Tennessee administered by the Tennessee Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial.
“Red, White and Tuna” is part of Theatre Bristol’s 2026 Season of comedies, dramas and musicals, including “American Tall Tales” with River’s Way, “Charlotte’s Web,” “Grease,” “The Mockingbird Sings,” “Deathtrap” and “It’s A Wonderful Life - The Musical”; and the Cathy DeCaterina School of Theatre Arts classes; “The SpongeBob Musical”: Youth Edition; PLAYtime in the ARTspace; The StART of Adventure summer camp; and audition and stagecraft workshops.
Founded in 1965 by Cathy DeCaterina, Theatre Bristol is a community theater serving all ages that also has the distinction as the oldest continually running children’s theater in Northeast Tennessee, with a long history continuing to serve Southwest Virginia. Its seasons consist of drama, comedy and musical productions that take place at Paramount Bristol, in the blackbox ARTspace Theatre and at the Cameo Theatre, and educational opportunities provided by its School of Theatre Arts. Theatre Bristol is a volunteer-operated community organization and invites the public to get involved.
For more information, visit the Theatre Bristol’s website or Facebook page, contact Theatre Bristol at 423-212-3625, or email info@theatrebristol.org.
