Stories of hope and possibilities and the fervent belief that “it could happen” were at the core of the story performance by award-winning story performer Dolores Hydock at the We Piddle Around Theater in Brundidge Thursday.

The Brundidge Historical Society’s annual June Buggin’ event is “as magical and unpredictable as the flight of a June bug” and Hydock’s performance lived up to the billing.

Hydock gave her audience a snapshot of what it was like to live and dine in Reading, Pennsylvania where she grew up and how she has adjusted to the Southern culture and its curious cuisine.

Was it possible for a Yankee to make a life in the South? Was it possible for a Yankee gal to “cotton” to Southern cooking, to make cornbread and cook turnip greens.”

With all her heart Dolores Hydock believed, “it could happen.”

Hydock said life is filled with possibilities and so there is always reason to believe, “it could happen” even to a Yankee who has ventured south of the Mason-Dixon Line.

An audience of women and men filled the We Piddle Around Theater for Hydock’s luncheon performance at noon Thursday.

Larry Mobley of Ozark might have felt out of place at a ladies’ luncheon, except he was at the We Piddle Around Theater. Mobley and his wife, Regina, are almost as comfortable piddlin’ around at the Brundidge theater as they are at home.
“We almost never miss a performance at the We Piddle Around Theater,” Mobley said. “We bring friends with us and they come away saying, ‘we should do this more often.’ We enjoy all of the events, and June Buggin’ was a very enjoyable experience.”

Regina Mobley found June Buggin’ ‘unpredicitble and magical.”

“It was an extremely nice afternoon and the entertainment was topnotch,” she said. “Dolores Hydock is a very energetic and entertaining performer. It was easy to relate to the stories she told. We all hoard stuff and who hasn’t ‘tried’ to make cornbread and biscuits?”

The Mobleys were also very impressed with Amanda Smothers, who was the featured performer for the pre-show.

“She could have done a whole show,” Larry Mobley said. “Any time you go to the We Piddle Around Theater, you are going to be well entertained and well fed and treated like homefolks. We’ve already placed an order for our tickets to the Christmas show. We don’t want to miss anything.”

June Aronson of Ariton didn’t recognize Hydock when she visited her table prior to the show.

“I was surprised when she was introduced on stage,” Aronson said. “She is a wonderful performer and a really nice person. The food was delicious and I enjoyed the fellowship of those who were seated at our table.”

The performance caught Aronson by surprise.

“It was not what I expected,” she said. “I’ve been to storytellings at the We Piddle Around Theater but this was different. It was storytelling and more.”

Hydock left the stage to converse with her audience. Aronson said the interaction with the audience was a different twist to storytelling and one that she enjoyed greatly.

Chamber and Brundidge Business Association President Kathy Sauer said the We Piddle Around Theater is a jewel in Pike County.
“Being there gives you pride in the things Pike County has to offer,” Sauer said. “I sat at the table across from people from neighboring towns and we enjoyed the fellowship, the place and the performance.

“Events like this are community builders as well as broad based entertainment. I have heard Dolores Hydock before and she is a great storyteller and performer. Hearing her talk about her native Pennsylvania and her love of Alabama made me more aware of the uniqueness of the South and our traditions. Sometimes, it takes someone else to help us realize that the South is wonderfully unique.”

Sauer added, laughing, “I’ve never thought of Southern foods as “soft” so I found that very interesting. You never know what you can learn from a story.”