COURTESY PHOTO The three-member cast of Sherman Community Players' a Bench in the Sun are, left to right, Dick Malnory, Carolyn Montgomery and Burl Proctor.

Beginning July 31, the Sherman Community Players Board of Directors will be hosting a dinner theatre production of a new comedy, "A Bench in the Sun" by playwright Ron Clark, as a benefit for the local theatre group. This is the eighth year for the event, which in the past, has played to sold-out houses.

The format is very much like the dinner theatres in the Dallas area. It will be held in the Honey McGee Playhouse, located directly behind the Finley Theatre, and seating will be limited to only 96 people. Candlelit tables of four on varying levels will surround three sides of the performance area, creating an intimate dining and theatre-going experience. A salad course is served, and then the first act of the play is presented, followed by the main course. The second act is performed next, followed by dessert, and then the final act. A wait staff serves the catered meal, and complimentary wine is available.

"A Bench in the Sun" is a three-character comedy about life, love and jealousy among the AARP set. The play deals with two old men who spend their days philosophizing and bickering on a bench in the garden of their retirement home. Their mundane lives soon get a jump start when a glamorous ex-actress moves into the home and proceeds to shake things up.

The cast of veteran performers include Dick Malnory, who recently starred in SCP's On Golden Pond, Burl Proctor who appears regularly in the Dallas-Fort Worth theatre scene and Carolyn Montgomery, who has starred in numerous SCP comedies and dramas.

The dates for the show are 6:30 p.m. on July 31 and Aug. 1, 7 and 8, and at 12:30 p.m. on Aug. 2 and 9. Tickets are priced at $35 per person for the dinner and the play. Reservations are a necessity, as no tickets will be sold at the door. Tickets went on sale in June and, according to SCP benefit member Darlene Schweizer, most performances are nearly full. Reservations can be made by calling Schweizer at 903-893-7652.