RUMFORD — Inside 49 Franklin’s theater Wednesday night, 13 Friday Night Live cast members rehearsed skits for next month’s show.

On stage, the comedy troupe read from hand-held scripts as they acted out a hospital scene under the direction of theater co-owner Scot Grassette’s brother, Keith A. Grassette. The skit is about a woman about to give birth with her long-suffering husband by her side and a group of singing telegram vocalists performing cheery greetings.

Offstage, other cast members and crew frequently busted out laughing at the verbal play and facial expressions and body contortions.

Friday Night Live is a 90-minute takeoff on NBC’s long-running series “Saturday Night Live.” The Rumford show offers all original, local humor, news and parody keyed to the River Valley.

Oxford County Sheriff Wayne Gallant will host the show, which will be performed on June 13, 14, 15 and 16.

The musical guest is guitarist Dennis Moro of Rumford, who plays in the band Roadhouse. Grassette said Moro used to play in the band Dakota, which backed up southern rock band Molly Hatchet.

The door opens at 5:30 p.m. and the show starts promptly at 7 p.m., with stuffed shells and pub-style food available from a small menu.

Tickets are $15 and available at All That Jazz and Bartash’s on Congress Street and on 49 Franklin’s website at www.49franklin.com.

Scot Grassette said Wednesday night that he’s been trying for about a year to get Gallant to host the show. Those efforts will play out in Gallant’s monologue, which Gallant wrote himself.

“Wayne Gallant has been an awesome sport, playing along with whatever we throw at him,” Grassette said.

Such as playing God to Zac Calden’s Teen Jesus.

“He’s going to be a great guest host,” he said. “He’s very familiar with speaking and delivering material, and he’s got a great sense of humor, so people are really going to enjoy the show.”

During a break in the rehearsal, cast members joined with Grassette in describing the show as a much needed outlet for River Valley residents.

“I think the packed houses kind of shows the community needs an outlet,” Duane Glover said. He dreamed up the Friday Night Live show and writes and acts out skits.

“I think we needed an outlet as much as the community did, too,”  Susan Puiia DeRoehn said. “This is my outlet, my hobby.”

Grassette asked cast members what they like best about performing in the show. Nearly everyone said, “fun.”

“It’s not as easy as it looks,” Amanda Hamner said. “That’s one thing, like I had no idea how detailed it was when they asked, ‘Do you want to do the Opening Door bit?'”

“Laughter,” Tammy Schmersal Burgess said. “Everyone here is a bunch of hams. They have to release their flavor.”

“Everyone gets to enjoy the show, but we get to enjoy the rehearsals,” one woman said.

“Sometimes it’s the thrill of the chase; it’s not the kill,” Grassette said. “If something onstage cracks the audience up and they bust out laughing, we’re all out back high-fiving each other.”

At the first show of Friday Night Live on March 2, 2012, Rumford Town Manager Carlo Puiia served as host. Mexico fire Chief Gary Wentzell hosted the second show on Nov. 8, 2012.

All shows were sold out. The second show played three nights, but there was so much demand for another one that the troupe did an encore fourth night performance, Grassette said.

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