Thacker Mountain Radio Hosts Special Fundraising Show

Thacker Mountain Radio will present a special fundraising show this Thursday at the Lyric Theater at 7PM. Proceeds from ticket sales will go to fund the show’s upcoming Fall 2010 season. Thursday’s broadcast will feature a live radio play with actors on stage holding scripts and performing scenes from Infamous, Ace Atkins’ new novel about George “Machine Gun” Kelly and his scheming wife Kathryn (from Memphis and Saltillo, respectively). Ace will join us onstage to introduce the program and our house band, the Yalobushwhackers will perform music from the 1930s, with special guest, Bryan Ledford. General admission is $10 with reserved seats available for $20 and $30. For more ticket information, visit thelyricoxford.com and thackermountain.com.

Though Infamous deals with gangsters on a crime spree, Atkins has fashioned the story into a dark comedy that touches on relationships, the seduction fame and of course, running from the cops. The character of Kathryn will particularly entertain readers and the Thacker audience. She’s the real star of the book, an extraordinary femme fatale who wears her notoriety like a crown, adores fancy clothes and the high life, as well as burning through George's ill-gotten gain, and loves him even as she schemes against him. When the end came, and the FBI had closed in on the couple in Memphis, she makes them wait while she does her hair. Relationships were complicated, even back then. As Atkins says, “He was bossed around by his wife and was a fairly nice guy. He never even killed anybody."

Among the actors on stage Thursday, Oxford audiences might recognize Micah Ginn, Clarissa Ramano, Johnny McPhail, David Bell, Rhes Low, Jim McCauley and Alice Walker. The director for Infamous is playwright and author, Neil White. Jim Dees will host the show.

Please note the later start time, 7PM, and make plans to bring friends, as there will be plenty of seating available. The show will broadcast locally by Rebel Radio, 92.1FM and re-broadcast later on Mississippi Public Broadcasting.