We have also done both Faith County and Tomatoes.  I have to agree with Slicksister and say that Faith County is my favorite.  It is absolutely hysterical if the cast is given somewhat free rein with the characters.   They absolutely must be played over he edge, but not in their own eyes. 

For my wedding garb, (I was Luther) I had a doubleknit light brown tuxedo with dark brown trim.  (And to think someone actually wore that thing before I found it at a flea market!)  The tux was several sizes too big, for Luther would not have had one, but borrowed it from someone.  For my signature finish, I wore a John Deere baseball cap.

Tomatoes can also be hysterically funny, but again, agreeing with Slicksister, we also changed some of the words (don't like to do it, but if you know your patrons, you know what they will and will not accept.)  I think the key to Tomatoes is,again, havinga cast that is not afraid to be a little wild. 

We did Tomatoes last year for the second time, the first being about ten years ago.  It was a hit both times, but still believe Faith County was a bigger hit with the audiences.  We had patrons come to see it twice during the same run, just to catch what they might have missed the first time. 

Quoting slicksister and Unclepeter

"Tomatoes is quite funny too, but we had some problems with some of the lines/words in it (mongoloid, retard) so we changed them to make them a little less offensive."

"...we also changed some of the words (don't like to do it, but if you know your patrons, you know what they will and will not accept.)"

Be extremely careful in changing dialog of an author's play.  No theatre company professional or otherwise has the right to do that without the consent of the author and or the organization granting the performance rights.   If the dialog will offend your audience I would suggest not doing the play.   You open yourself up to a world of legal hassles in changing dialog, no matter how well meaning your intentions.

I can certainly understand the intention and I'm not sure that I might not have done the same given similar circumstances. 

I guess the lessons here are:

1. be accutely aware of what may or may not be offensive your audience.

and

 2. never talk to the press.  

2. never talk to the press. ??????

Learn to talk to the press? Yes

Do interviews in a quiet, private location? Yes

Not talk to them? NO

I can't speak for other parts of the country but if we are lucky enough to actually get a reporter to do an article it is huge and our ticket sales increase greatly. The press is an integral and neccessary part of theater (my PR person calls them a neccessary evil). If you are going to put yourself into a position to be contacted by the press learn to speak with them, have 4 or 5 set quotes you use to describe the show or give insight into it. Learning to speak in quotes will make the articles better, make your reporter's job easier and cover your butt.