Waimea Community Theatre continues its 51st season with Neil Simon’s comedy, “The Sunshine Boys,” a play that netted Simon a Tony Award nomination for best play and was performed on Broadway for many years.
The play focuses on aging Al Lewis and Willie Clark, a one-time vaudevillian team known as “Lewis and Clark,” who over the course of 40-odd years, not only grew to hate each other but never spoke to each other off-stage throughout the final year of their act. The stubborn Clark, played by John Sucke, who was not ready for retirement resented the wiser Lewis, played by Bob Haber, for breaking up the act when he opted to leave show business.
It is now many years later and CBS is insisting the team to reunite for a special on the history of comedy, with the pair representing the Vaudeville era at its best. Clark is convinced by his nephew, Ben, played by Dylan Brennan, to revive one of the old routines one last time. Much of the humor is derived from efforts to get the two cantankerous actors into the same room for a rehearsal, their differences of opinion once they reunite, and their shenanigans on the actual broadcast.
Other characters in this endearing story are the buxom sketch nurse, Abi Hobbs, the stern RN who takes care of aging Willie at home, played by Dedrie Miller, stagehand Eddie, played by Celeste Hilliard, and Director Brian Thomas. A random patient is played by Daniel Bal. Dave Merrin, assisted by Rick Turnbow, directs this talented group.
The play opens at 7:30 p.m. May 22 at Parker School Theatre in Waimea and will run for two weekends on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. It will then move to the Honokaa People’s Theatre, where performances are slated June 6 at 7 p.m. and June 7 at 2 p.m.
Tickets will be available at Waimea General Store and Without Boundaries Gift Shop in Waimea, at Taro Patch Gifts in Honokaa, at Suite Possibilities in Kona and at Waikoloa Mailbox in Waikoloa.
For more information, visit waimeacommunitytheatre.org or call 885-5818.