Directed by: Porter Williams

May 9th thru June 9th

It is a stormy spring night as two Englishmen (Staff Sergeant ‘‘Froggy’’ LeSueur and his friend Charlie Baker), enter a fishing lodge owned and operated by Betty Meeks in Tilghman County, Georgia, two hours South of Atlanta. Every year, Froggy serves as a weekend demolition instructor for the American army, and this year he has brought his shy and sad friend Charlie to America in an attempt to cheer him up.

Charlie (a self proclaimed bore whose wife fully agrees with his self assessment) reluctantly agrees to come along. But Charlie is pathologically shy and is terrified at the prospect of having to converse with strangers. Once they get settled, Froggy announces that he must leave to tend to his military responsibilities — for three days! Charlie is frantic! Wanting to calm his troubled friend, Froggy concocts the story that Charlie can neither understand nor speak any English, introducing all to Charlie with that explanation. That way, Charlie will not have to speak to anyone!

Thus, conversations at the lodge carry on around Charlie much as if he weren't there at all, since it is assumed he can't understand them anyway. For example, Catherine Simms informs her fiancé (the reverend David Marshall Lee), that he doesn’t seem to be as sterile as he said he was and that she is pregnant – all within earshoot of poor old Charlie.

Owen Musse (county property inspector who has been threatening to condemn the lodge) wants a ‘private’ conversation with Reverend Lee. Assured that Charlie can not understand, they discuss a plot to undermine the value of the lodge through condemnation so that Reverend Lee can buy it at a bargain price. In addition, Ellard Simms (Catherine's slow-witted brother) appears on the scene. It becomes apparent that Reverend Lee is trying to make Ellard appear to be an idiot to prevent him from inheriting his half of the family money.

Charlie endears himself to almost everyone by being a good ‘listener’ (much better than they know!) as they relate their problems to him. But Ellard decides to try his hand at teaching Charlie to speak English. And, it seems, poor old Ellard isn't so stupid after all, as his language lessons seem to be quite effective and Charlie catches on to this ‘new’ language very quickly!.

David and Owen soon appear with a box of ledgers, records – and dynamite – apparently salvaged from a fire of some sort. We also learn that Owen's van contains weapons and uniforms, enough to reunite the “Old Georgia Empire.”

Froggy returns for a few moments and is surprised at how well his shy friend is doing. Charlie then entertains all by ‘relating’ a story in a strange and unintelligible language. In private, Charlie reveals to Froggy that he is having a wonderful time and thinks he may even be acquiring a personality! And it does seem that Charlie is quite enjoying himself!

Owen returns and Charlie has some fun tormenting him. Reverend Lee shows up with his van and Charlie demonstrates how well Ellard has taught him English in just two days. Concluding that Ellard isn't so dumb after all, Catherine annouces that he is indeed smart enough to receive his part of the inheritance – much to the dismay of Reverend Lee who decides a hasty marriage to Catherine might be in his best interest, now.

Charlie then agrees to teach a bit of his “native tongue” to them and has a good deal of fun at Owen and the Reverend’s expense. Owen (unable to stand any further torment) rages that “the Klan will soon be coming to purge the land of foreigners”.

As Act One concludes, the power has been cut off and the lodge is in virtual isolation and darkness as everyone turns to there new found friend, Charlie, for a solution.

As promised, the Klan appears in Act II, torches blazing. But, through a series of tricks involving Ellard, a trap door and a croquet mallet, the Klan is vanquished and Reverend Lee is exposed for what he really is.

Finished with his duties, Froggy returns, ready for the “vacation” to begin and Charlie's masquerade to end. But Charlie has different ideas, now. We conclude as Charlie announces his decission to stay on with his friends at the lodge (who consider him to be 'the foreigner') in order to continue to teach and to be taught.

This hilarious romp has more twists and turns than a tormented pretzel! Don’t miss it!!