Courtesy photoCast members of the upcoming variety show "Celebrating 20 Years at the Veterans Museum" pose at the end of their performance to the song, "Rosie Riveter." Choreographed by Kelly Nave of Kelly's Studio of Dance, the number shares the story of women who are working outside the home while their husbands are at war.

One could say Stacey Givens has a thing for the community stage in Athens. She directed Poke Sallet Follies for five years and said she has plenty of experience with local stage performances.

It’s that kind of experience she has taken with her into the director’s chair once again — this time, for the 20th anniversary of the Alabama Veterans Museum.

“When the veterans museum director, Sandy Thompson, asked me to do something to help them celebrate their 20th year of incorporation, we bounced around different ideas,” Givens said, “but we really thought — because this is a year of celebration for them — we wanted to do something celebratory. We wanted something with lots of laughs and involving people in the community.”

Givens said once the idea of a live variety show was chosen, it was “very easy to get people to agree to help and participate.”

The one-time show, titled “Celebrating 20 Years at the Veterans Museum,” is 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 19, at the Athens Senior Center.

In addition to local community members, local public officials have also joined the cast. Athens Mayor Ronnie Marks, Limestone County Sheriff Mike Blakely and Athens City Councilman Joseph Cannon will help round out the roughly 75 people in the cast and crew and serving as volunteers.

“They will be performing comedy skits,” Givens said. “I love that the community gets to see the lighter side of those individuals.”

Givens said the variety show will rival the Tim Conway or Carole Burnett shows.

“It has a lot of that type of humor,” she said.

There will also be performances by Rita Hayworth, Marilyn Monroe, Carmen Miranda and Sammy Davis Jr. impersonators. Members of the Athens High School band will play music throughout the show.

“We’ve been working on this since January,” Givens said, adding the skits will be family-friendly with jokes for those in the military as well as civilians.

“It’s something that if you are a vet or in the military now there are references in the show that will have special meaning,” she said. “There are things that the civilian world will learn that maybe they did not know. There’s history. There’s facts included in these skits that are very interesting.”

Josh Dendy wrote the show.

“There is a skit for every era,” Givens said. “Our writer has carefully written skits to include World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, even current-day. The skits may or may not be about war during those times, but they’re set during those periods.”

Take “Potluck,” for example. The skit is one of Givens’ favorites, she said, and is about a woman who sees herself as the next great American picker. She spots a special item at a flea market and, not knowing what it is, takes it home.

When she receives an invitation to join a high-society ladies group, she brings her item with her and learns the comedic way what it really is.

Dance choreography for musical numbers is provided by Kelly Nave of Kelly’s Studio of Dance. One number is to the tune, “Rosie Riveter,” and features women working while their husbands are away at war.

Tickets for the show are $10 for adults and $5 for children age 12 and under. They can be purchased at the veterans museum through Friday or the day of the performance at the senior center. While parking and seating are limited, additional parking will be available at the Limestone County Department of Human Resources building on Market Street. Free shuttles will run to and from DHR and the senior center.

Additional seating will not be available, so Givens encourages everyone to buy their ticket in advance to make sure they have a spot for the one and only show.

“It is a show that families will enjoy whether they’re military or not,” she said.