“The Waltons” was based on stories by Earl Hamner Jr. and this holiday season, Southside Theatre Guild in Fairburn will present an adaptation of his story, “The Homecoming.”

The play is set on Christmas Eve, 1933 and the patriarch of the Spencer family, Clay, is working in a town 50 miles from home. He is due home at any minute, but as the snow starts to fall heavier and heavier, his family begins to worry. One of Clay’s eight children, Clay-boy, the eldest, searches for his father and encounters friends and neighbors who help him “find” more of his father than he knew was missing.

The show, which features a very large cast, is directed by Heather May, who has appeared on stage in recent productions such as “Beside Yourself” and “The Female Odd Couple” and has directed shows such as “The King and I” and “Keeping Dixie.”

Father and son Carey and Caleb Bennett take on the roles of Clay and Clay-boy Spencer, while Linda Cochran plays, Olivia, the mother. Other members of the Spencer family are played by Trey Smith, Stephanie Earle, Nick Anderson, Sarah Gravitt, Preston Earle, Jack Isbell and Madhavi Scharko. Ray Greene and Anne Eidson, last seen together in “The Unexpected Guest” will play Grandpa Homer and Grandma Ida and Jan Mays and Nancy Norris will play Emma and Etta Staples.

Others in the cast include Terry Hoffman, Ian McCarthy, Jared Wright, Jonny May, Sloane Kemp, Onyx Vaughan, DeArious Howell, Andreen Hylick, Mary Barnes, Denise Shabazz, Monique Barrett, Sandy Utt, April Coyne, Dara Pickren-Davis and Andre Powell.

“The Homecoming” will be presented Thursdays-Sundays through Dec. 16. Showtimes are at 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets are $12 on Thursdays and $12 for students, $15 for adults for all other performances. Phone 770-969-0956 or visit www.stgplays.com to reserve your seats today. Tickets for the Southside Theatre Guild Christmas shows tend to go quickly.

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