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Summer Dinner Theater Wraps up Season with The Sunshine Boys |
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Abigail Symonds Knight JSU News Bureau Taste of the Town Summer Theater at Jacksonville State University finishes up its 13th season with a dinner theater production of Neil Simon's The Sunshine Boys. Starring two JSU professors, Dr. Wayne Claeren, Professor of Drama, and Dr. Steve Whitton, Professor of English, it is directed by JSU alumna Eric Traynor, who also plays Ben in the play. The play, although still presented in Simon's famous comic style, centers on old age and the crisises that accompany it. The story focuses on a vaudevillian team, Al Lewis (Claeren) and Willie Clark (Whitton) who performed together for forty-three years. They have an intense love-hate relationshipand it has been eleven years since they last performed together. An opportunity arises for them to re-unite for a CBS special "A History of Comedy," only to have the old animosities flare up. The Sunshine Boys premiered on Broadway at the Broadhurst Theater in 1972 and starred Sam Levine and Jack Albertson. A film version of the play was released in 1975 with George Burns as Al Lewis and Walter Matthau as Willie Clark. In 1995, Neil Simon updated the play and a made-for-TV film was released in 1997 with Woody Allen as Lewis and Peter Falk as Clark. The Taste of the Town production also features Tanya Poore of Anniston as Nurse 1; Phyllis Densmore of Anniston as Nurse 2; John Dodson of Jacksonville as Eddie; and Brian Dixon of Marietta as the Patient. The menu for this play includes three entrees, four vegetables, choice of meat, salad, and assorted desserts. The play will run at the Leone Cole Auditorium July 20, 21, 22, 27, 28, and 29 with the buffet opening at 7 PM and the show at 8 PM. On July 23 the buffet begins at 1 PM with the show at 2 PM. Tickets are $19.50, and paid reservations are required. Group rates are available. No tickets will be sold at the door. For phone reservations, call 256-782-5648. |
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