Miller’s Love of Classic Television Shows Brings the Beverly Hillbillies to the Stage

Although Jeremiah Miller was not alive when the Beverly Hillbillies first aired on national television, he grew up watching the popular series along with other classic television shows he came to love. It is that love that led to him choosing the stage version of the television series for his directorial debut with STAR, Inc. theatre company.

“I chose The Beverly Hillbillies because I knew it would be a good, clean, family-friendly comedy. I grew up watching a lot of classic TV shows. I Love Lucy, The Addams Family, The Munsters, and especially The Beverly Hillbillies were all TV shows I watched with my parents and grandparents,” said Miller, who shared Granny is his favorite Hillbilly. “There are so many great jokes and one-liners in the TV show and this play that make her stand out as the funniest Clampett.”

Miller has been involved with STAR, Inc. for 10 years. He was introduced to theatre in college when he led the drama team. Since living in Hardeman County, he has been non-stop involved in productions at both STAR, Inc. and the Hardeman County Arts Council (HCAC) in Bolivar. His first role with STAR, Inc. was in Shrek The Musical Jr. in which he played Papa Bear. Miller later appeared in the same production at the HCAC in the lead role as Shrek. If you have seen productions at either theatre, Jeremiah has been on both stages at one time or another. He entertained the audience with song and his acting skills at the HCAC as Willy Wonka in Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka JR., and Genie in Disney Aladdin JR., and made us laugh in The Play That Goes Wrong and as Uncle Fester in The Addams Family Musical.  Whether in straight plays or musicals, Jeremiah always manages to shine. Becoming a director seemed like the next step in theatre and he has learned a lot through the experience.

“Directing is so vastly different. When I am acting, I mainly have to worry about my role. As a director, I must consider every role and know how I want each step to be on stage. On top of that, I also have to design how I want the stage to look, organize painting days, know how I want the lights to be, basically I have to know every aspect of the show,” said Miller. “I learned not to underestimate how much work goes on behind the director’s table, and I learned that the best directors not only bring their vision to the stage, but listen to their casts thoughts and ideas.”

Jeremiah has acted on the stage in other productions with many of the members of the cast of The Beverly Hillbillies. He did not necessarily feel pressure in the directors role, but having been on the acting side with those people, he wanted to meet their expectations as a director.

“I like to think I’ve earned the respect of the people at STAR, and being able to direct people I’m close with, and seeing their response to that just proved that to me,” said Jeremiah, who has a personal relationship with two members that include his wife, Kayla, and brother, Caleb. “Kayla and Caleb were so easy to direct. They were receptive to every idea and direction I had.”

Although Jeremiah enjoys acting more than directing, he notes that does not mean you will never see him behind the director’s table again. He confessed his dream production is Les Miserables, which he refers to as a “timeless show with such beautiful music”.

His appreciation for theatre is strong and Miller shared a quote that is dear to him that was spoken by Oscar Wilde, “I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being.”

“Theatre is the best way to grow as an actor. There are no cuts, no retakes, nothing. Just you, your castmates and the audience. I’ve made mistakes in every performance I have ever done, and they were in front of lots of people, sometimes even a sold-out crowd. But we push through, we pick ourselves up and continue. And that’s a very good life lesson to learn. Not to mention, I’ve learned something from every character I’ve portrayed,” said Miller. “Theatre is where you can go to learn about yourself and where the audience can watch an actor grow in front of their eyes as they make a mistake and continue on (usually with the audience not even realizing the mistakes.)”

Miller hopes the people fill the seats for the last three performances before the show closes and the audience leaves with the lesson of “we shouldn’t care so much about what others think we should or shouldn’t be. Be yourself!”

When not acting, Miller works for Bolivar Central High School as a paraprofessional, leads worship for Parrans Chapel Baptist Church, and loves to play Dungeons & Dragons with his family and friends.

The Beverly Hillbillies will be presented at the Fair Theatre in Somerville. Check the performance schedule and purchase tickets online.

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