ROCHELLE – As the holiday season approaches and people begin getting into the Christmas spirit, the Vince Carney Community Theater has a special holiday production in the works for the community.
The play, “In-Laws, Outlaws and Other People (That Should Be Shot),” is a family-friendly holiday comedy that is appropriate for all ages. The main focus of the play is a family that is attempting to get together for a Christmas Eve dinner but experiences many different obstacles along the way.
“The mother of the family is stuck in an airport in another state, so the father and the daughter are left to get everything prepared for the in-laws to arrive,” explained director Jeannette Mingus. “Then they get interrupted by two gentleman who have just robbed the store on the corner and are looking for a place to hide out.”
The theater thinks that everyone in the audience will have at least one moment in the play where one of the actors reminds them of one of their own family members.
The play will be held in the Flight Deck hanger, and there will be five different showings of the play ranging from just the show with dessert for $15, the show with dinner or brunch for $35 and the annual Gala Fundraiser that will include the show, dinner, live music and a silent auction for $60.
Shows
The shows with just dessert will be on Thursday, Dec. 19 at 8 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 21 at 2 p.m. The shows with dinner will be Friday, Dec. 20 at 6:30 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 22 at 12:30 p.m., and the Gala fundraiser will be held on Saturday, Dec. 21 at 6:30 p.m.
All tickets that include either dinner or brunch must be purchased in advance, while the shows that only include a dessert can be purchased in advance or at the door.
If attending the Gala event, people can dress up for the occasion if they would like to, but it is not required.
“The dinner is a little bit fancier and the dessert bar is a little bit nicer, as well as the Flight Deck is putting on a cocktail bar with both alcoholic and non-alcoholic options,” added Mingus. “We encourage black tie, people tend to come in suits and nice dresses for the event but it is not required.”
All of the funds earned from the Gala fundraiser will be put back into the VCCT’s project — renovating the old Lincoln School into their future home.

If everything at the site goes according to plan, the theater hopes to have it’s permanent home complete and begin performing there by next summer.
“Don’t give up on us, we are still here, putting on quality shows. It is different because we are in different venues around town, but we are still the same people doing the same hard work and it is really worth a ticket,” expressed Mingus.
Cast
Beth Hahn – Bunny
Ellie Zatorski – Paul
Alex Cremeans – Vinny
Belinda Luxton – Rose
Amy Frank – Mrs. Draper
Carol Weidmann – Rose
Terry Camplain – Bud
Matt Frison – Tony
Jessica Garrison – Emily
Jeanette V. Mingus – Beth
Michael Hynek – Dad
Terry Dickow – Uncle Leo
Kimberly Ekes – Janet
Kayla Mingus – Tracy
Jeani Camplain – Mrs. Wakowski
Ralph Cremeans – Officer Henley
Tickets can be purchased in advance at vcctrochelle.org.