As the date for this year’s edition of Once Upon A Tomb – Tales From Beyond creeps ever closer, this week we profile the three remaining participants who will take on the roles of residents significant to Oakdale’s history.

The Saturday, Oct. 4 event at the Oakdale Citizens Cemetery on East J Street is a fundraiser for the cemetery, with seven staggered tours leaving every half hour starting at 6 p.m. and continuing through the last tour at 9 p.m.

The female characters this year are Annie Cottle, portrayed by Jozie Velasco; Gladys Clark, portrayed by Colleen Hawks-Pierce; and Tomasa Griffith, portrayed by Marg Jackson.

The youngest of this year’s cast members, Jozie Velasco is in eighth grade at Oakdale Junior High School. She is part of the colorguard team at OJHS and said she also loves animals.

“I am really excited to be part of Once Upon A Tomb,” she said. “I have been acting for a few years, and love it.”

She is taking on the role of Annie Cottle, whose short life and death at a young age had a profound effect on the community in an unexpected way.

“I hope people realize that, even though she lived for such a short time, she made a strong impact on the Cottle family,” Velasco said, which ultimately led to the family donating the land to establish the Oakdale Citizens Cemetery.

Colleen Hawks-Pierce, who has performed on Broadway as well as directed and choreographed shows, is happy to take on a part in this unique production.

Her character is Gladys Clark, who struggled and sacrificed for her young children during the Great Depression, but also was blessed by a town that lent a helping hand.

“I kind of got volunteered by a friend for the auditions,” Hawks-Pierce said, chuckling, adding that she hasn’t performed for “quite a while,” but has found it easy to get to know her character.

“She was an amazing woman and my monologue is absolutely fantastic,” she said.

The actors and actresses in Once Upon A Tomb portray the characters at their actual gravesite; they typically speak directly to the tour groups, reminiscing about their life.

“It’s nice to have something so meaty to sink my teeth into,” Hawks-Pierce added of her role in the production.

Also taking part this year is Marg Jackson, who will portray Tomasa Griffith, who was commonly known as “The Mother of Oakdale,” as she raised 44 children. She also ran a local restaurant and opened her home to anyone in need.

“When I watched this program last year, I told the organizers that ‘I might just have to try out next year’ and they held me to that,” Jackson said. “Learning about Tomasa Griffith and the love she had for those around her has been inspiring; you never know what the stories are of all those buried here but, thanks to Once Upon A Tomb, we have a chance to ‘meet’ some of those that made Oakdale the place it is today. Tomasa Griffith was one of those people.”

All proceeds of the event go directly to the Oakdale Citizens Cemetery for a variety of needs.

Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at Eventbrite; put Once Upon A Tomb in the search area. There is a small processing fee charged as well.