There's nothing more American than family dysfunction and corn dogs. But who knew such things could be funny? Lake City Playhouse's chuckle-worthy production of "Dearly Departed," by David Bottrell and Jessie Jones, pokes fun at the Turpin family who deals with the death of its patriarch, Bud.

Director Katrina Heath has selected an ensemble in which the members play off each other well. Bryan D. Durbin, who portrayed the deceased's shiftless son, Junior, was appropriately pathetic, and he's tormented by his overbearing wife, Suzanne, played by Nadine Carr. Suzanne had sudden mood swings, from screaming at the kids in the back seat to crying hysterically.

Gail Cory-Betz embodied the deceased's sister with a biting wit and great comic timing, bullying everyone else into getting religion. Jason Goetz, as her son, Royce, was her foil. His presentation was more understated, accentuating his mother's holier-than-thouness.

The play's authors even give the minor characters memorable moments. Nadine, a prolific mother played by Donna Holland, at one point looked into the audience intensely and shouted, "Oprah! You put that down!" The effect is humorously frightening. Despite that the deceased's ironically named daughter, Delightful, played by Nikki Nicholson, had one line, her constant eating was humorous.

Mark Pleasant was the standout of the evening. He rendered the southern minister Rev. Hooker, who is sick of listening to his parishioners complaints - and is intestinally challenged - with skillful delivery and control. But it was his portrayal of Norval, an elderly man saddled with a conniving young wife, that garnered the most laughs. His pleas to the audience to save him from the woman were met with guffaws.

Lucille, played by Sarah Miller, and Ray-Bud, played by Willy Dowling, seemed to be the "normal" couple in the family, forced to bear the burden of planning the funeral and holding everyone else together. Lucille and new widow Raynelle, portrayed by Jana Siebrecht, played their characters straight, providing contrast.

The set was simple, yet the stage was flanked by two beautiful murals, painted by Jamie Murphy: A medicine drum indicating the play's location in Oklahoma and an American flag that appeared to be flowing in the wind.

Bottrell's and Jones' script ebbs and flows, shifting from scenes with riotous humor to tenderness. The serious segments, while played authentically, tended to slow the pace. Still, there's just something about a well choreographed behind-the-couch fight that's a hoot.

"Dearly Departed" runs through May 8.

Sandra Hosking, a Spokane-Coeur d'Alene area college instructor and freelance journalist, is a longtime member of the theater community and playwright whose works have been performed across the U.S. and internationally.