‘Sunshine Boys’ offers humor, heart for Eagle theater-goers

Deanna Allen

3 years ago

The Players Guild at Sugar Hill is bringing a two-act play written by American playwright Neil Simon to the Eagle Theatre stage.

“‘The Sunshine Boys’ is the story of Al and Willie, who were top-billed vaudevillians for over 40 years. Now they aren’t even speaking,” said Ane Mulligan, managing director for the Players Guild. “When CBS requests them for a ‘History of Comedy’ retrospective, Willie’s theatrical agent nephew tries to reunite him with his long-time stage partner, Al, for a TV reunion, resulting in a flood of memories, miseries and laughs.”

Having not spoken to one another in more than a decade, the duo must remaster their sketch while working through their issues. The two have an opportunity to reunite, but not without a struggle.

“It’s also a wonderful character study about growing old, filled with laughter and poignant moments,” Mulligan said of the play.

Directing “The Sunshine Boys” is Suwanee resident Martha Wright.

“She has a wonderful touch for comedy,” Mulligan said. “Every director loves a good script, and Neil Simon’s are some of the best.”

Wright had originally proposed the play to the Guild’s board for consideration.

“I had always found it to be a very nice way to show a friendship of two people that lost each other along the way and came back to find each other in a sense,” she said.

A cast of seven on-stage actors, an unseen TV director, and a voiceover actor, voicing the part of an announcer, will bring the humor and heart of the play to life with the help of a seven-member stage crew working behind the scenes handling lighting, sound, set changes, props and more.

“Attendees can expect top notch actors,” Mulligan said. “They will laugh and perhaps shed a tear or two.”

“The sweet, serious moments will sneak up on (audiences),” Wright added. “It’s a surprise, a delightful one.”

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