The Hawkins Mission Team is preparing to host the 12th annual dinner theater at Hawkins United Methodist Church, 3736 Halls Ferry Road, Thursday through Saturday, Aug. 20 at 6 p.m. each night.

Each year the group preforms a new family friendly comedy play written by church member Richard VanDenAkker. This year’s play is titled “The Widow’s Might.”

“They’re always the original premiere performances of another Richard VanDenAkker play,” director Sara Dionne said. “He’s had some of them published.”

The three-act play is set in a thrift store, and Dionne said it follows the mayhem and mishaps that occur at the shop. VanDenAkker said the show, his 11th for the dinner theater, has a message of forgiveness.

“It revolves around a stolen painting that turns up in a thrift store because it was accidentally donated, and there’s various people trying to get it back, some inept crooks, a couple of bodyguards, the art historian and an art collector,” he said. “Hopefully the audience will enjoy it as much as we’re enjoying it.”

VanDenAkker is in the play taking on the role of the villain.

One of his favorite things about putting on a play every year is seeing how the actors and the director interpret his script. He is also anticipating the audience’s reaction to the show.

“It’s fun to see people’s reaction. I like to see people enjoy themselves and laugh,” VanDenAkker said.

The group has been practicing three nights a week for about two months. Dionne said the actors and actresses often stay the same from year to year.

“There are quite a few that are in it every year,” she said, including her husband, Pete.

“We have a blast doing the show,” he said, adding he hopes to see a large turn out.

In between acts the audience will be able to purchase items from the set of the thrift shop called “The Widow’s Mite’s Trash Emporium.”

“We though it would be fun to open the thrift store for business,” Dionne said. “You can actually go on stage and buy the items on the shelf between acts.”

There will also be a silent auction of items donated like artwork, jewelry, gift certificates, accessories and a one-year newspaper subscription.

Winners will be announced after the Saturday night show.

“We have a lot of very generous people in this community,” VanDenAkker said.

Money raised will go to the mission team, who will use the funds to help a member of the church with medical bills, and to a local men’s homeless shelter that caught fire and is in need of repair.

The meal will be salad, spaghetti, bread and banana pudding prepared by the mission team, which is made up of church members and members of the community.

Free nursery care will be provided during the Friday show.

Tickets are $10 and can be purchased from cast members, mission team members or at the church office.

“It’s family friendly and funny and just an enjoyable evening. You get dinner and a play for $10. It’s a bargain,” she said.