Humor fans are perhaps familiar with the Southern-style comedic chops of Tavin Dillard, whose videos have received millions of views through YouTube and Dillard’s Sweet Tea Films website of sketch comedy films.
And now his fans in the Pine Belt are in for a treat, as Dillard – a Los Angeles native who has performed for thousands of fans at various live shows – is bringing his “Get Busy Bein’ Awesome Tour” to Petal.
The family-friendly show, which is sponsored by Turning Pointe Church, will start at 6 p.m. March 16 at the Petal Performing Arts Center at Petal High School. The show is free and tickets are not required.
“It’s great to be able to have somebody that does have a nationwide profile to come to Petal and do family entertainment,” said Brian Lee, youth pastor at Turning Pointe Church. “It’s pretty cool to have somebody at that level to be able to come here and do free entertainment for the city.”
Lee, a Petal native who lived in Houston for a period, became acquainted with Dillard’s comedy while in Texas, and the two soon became friends.
“(Dillard) was on tour, and he was going to come visit, so we decided to put him on for a show here,” Lee said. “When he approached me with the idea … we set it up, and the school worked with us to get the (Petal Performing Arts Center), and once we got that it just fell into place.”
Other stops on the “Get Busy Bein’ Awesome Tour” included Forth Worth, Texas; Russellville, Arkansas; Pomona, Missouri; Dearing, Kansas; and Sherwood, Arkansas.
Even after criss-crossing the country, Dillard – whose comedy routine includes topics such as phone etiquette, pie-eating contests and social media – said he can’t wait to make his way back to Mississippi.
“The crowd really makes the show, and Mississippi knows how to have a good time,” he said. “One show in Mississippi, folks came from Jupiter. I knew there was something special about that state if families traveled across the galaxy to be there.
“I can’t wait to laugh with the folks of Mississippi. We can all leave refreshed and tired from laughing.”
For more information on Dillard or to check out his sketch comedy, visit www.sweetteafilms.com or his sweetteafilms YouTube channel.
