The play focuses on aging Al Lewis and Willy Clark, a one-time vaudevillian team known as “Lewis and Clark” who, over the course of forty-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, who was not ready for retirement, resented the wiser Lewis for breaking up the act when he opted to leave show business. CBS invited 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 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.

PERFORMANCE DATES: March 26 – April 14, 1991

CAST: Willie Clark – Jim Johnson, Ben Silverman (Willie’s nephew) – Ken Dean, Al Lewis (Willie’s former partner) – Greg Smith, Sketch Patient – Ken Pervenanze, Voice of TV Director – Miek Hansen, Eddie (TV Stage Manager) – Osbaldo Rodriguez, Sketch Nurse – Michelle Drenth, Nurse O’Neil – Darleen C. Smith

CREW: Director – Don Steele, Stage Manager/Set Design – Mike Hansen, Light Board Operator/Set Design – Lyn Yost, Sound Board Operator/Set Design – Keith Reimer, Costume Design – Dee Miller, Set Design – Darleen Smith, Claudia Pyle, Greg Smith, Ken Pervenanze, Ozzie Rodriguez, jJim Johnson

MENU: Vegetable soup, shishkabobs with baked rice, French bread, cherry crisp.   Catering provided by Faye Trent, Brona Love, Doug Austen, Stacy Cross, Rick Matticks, Pat King, Barry Metcalf, Milly White, members of the Company.

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