- 11 hours ago
American Classic S01E02 (2026)
Category
📺
TVTranscript
00:02it was a nightmare people were yelling for gravy and potatoes and more brussels sprouts
00:07and peas and they thought i was a waiter i've never even played a waiter not staying for
00:11your mother's funeral because of a matinee of nonsense is overreacting i'm not overreacting
00:16everything i loved is gone you just have to get through this do i i don't think i do i
00:22think you
00:22have to get me out of here and get me back on stage i don't care how you do it
00:26we've been over
00:27is this you are still a meme listen i'm asking healthy as a friend okay a what a friend you're
00:33my friend all your friends get ten percent look i won't stay here just find me a path out of
00:43i'll call you back what are you doing here dinner remember we need to sit down hey we need to
00:52sit
00:53down have a nice meal drink some wine and talk about this like adults
01:10dinner theater do not start i'm not starting
01:15the millersburg festival theater used to be a destination you know absolutely nothing our
01:21parents acted on that stage dad should be there now doing leer doing it he's living it no he's not
01:26he's okay he's compromised in some ways but he's he's yeah he knows who he is he confided in me
01:32something that uh well that i confided so i can't share it he's gay you know everybody knows he came
01:40out the first time about a month ago now he comes out every day and then he forgets he did
01:45and he
01:45comes out again it's sad and happy it's weird well i wish somebody had told me that our dad was
01:51in a
01:51coming out loop jesus i mean you could have called i would have come and done what beat him up
01:58oh honey
01:58don't you have something to do i want to see who wins he was doing willie lowman for me he
02:03did
02:03out our brief candle he made me cry it reminded me of how great we were in our dinner theater
02:10you
02:11are such a pompous ass if you'd climb down from your ivory tower for five minutes maybe maybe you
02:19see what's going on in this country do you have any idea how hard it is just to live we
02:24had to close
02:25down for 15 months our subscriber base is gone moran why don't you take some duck up to your room
02:30okay
02:30can i have some wine no no you cannot cannot have any wine you know we can't afford to produce
02:36anything on our own so yes we are bringing in pre-packaged touring musicals because we're just
02:42trying to make sure this theater survives we are serving food we are serving alcohol and let me tell
02:47you something forever plaid and nonsense saved our ass you're gouging out the soul of this town you do
02:56know that what does the mayor have to say about this she's the mayor i'm the mayor you're the mayor
03:01yep i'm the mayor deal with it dark and stormy as i thought it was appropriate it's usually ginger
03:06beer and rum but i've added a little just give it to me make it more of an event you've
03:10changed
03:11kristen you have fundamentally changed as a human being oh no no no you don't get to tell me who
03:17i am
03:17i'm not telling you who you are i'm telling you who you were you had very high ideals you were
03:22an
03:22artist you built a theater company with your bare hands in new york we nothing we built a theater
03:29company you just stopped showing up you still blame me because my career took off and yours didn't
03:34maybe that's because i was too busy taking care of you or maybe it was something else
03:43no no i'm not gonna what say it do i need to say it yes you do absolutely not do
03:50not say it do not
03:51say it say it do not say it i will say please you weren't as good as i was you
03:57are such a dick well
03:59at the time you weren't you want to know why i wasn't able to go to auditions because the entire
04:04time i was there i was looking after you come on please please
04:11you can use the front door you know yeah you always used to say that i was super romantic and
04:15stuff
04:19whoa what is up with the yelling my mom and uncle are having an epic shit fight i used to
04:24date like
04:2420 years ago your your mom dated your uncle oh there's duck on the bed if you want some
04:35oh my god so i finished our mirandle demo really and it's a total banger when you slay the fucking
04:44kingdom bit don't say slay
04:54that's your voice jesus smoke out the window
05:00sorry you do sound pretty good
05:05so i can get us gigs when you're at pen and i got a lead on an apartment in brewery
05:10town it's 850
05:11a month which is sick could we chill for like five seconds yeah just know what we're doing
05:16yeah it's just you're i'm not accepted at pen i'm waitlisted at pen and you're talking about
05:20apartments it's stressing me out
05:21pen would be crazy to not take you i mean you're the smartest most talented most wonderful person
05:28i've ever met
05:29thanks
05:32why am i even trying to go there
05:35it's great school
05:37i know that's what my mom says but
05:41i don't know
05:45my nana's gone
05:48might be moving away
05:54everything just happens so fast
06:03life
06:06you're so hot
06:09you called her a bad actress again
06:12why do you do that
06:14she gets all self-righteous you know and just it
06:19writes off my whole life
06:22she gets in my head
06:24to this day when i'm trying to make a decision about something i hear her voice
06:28judging me
06:29you know
06:30sometimes
06:32when you talk about kristen it's like you think
06:35you're married to her
06:36i just want to remind you
06:38she's actually my wife
06:39no i know
06:40yeah
06:41i know
06:42and she was a terrific actress in new york
06:44she just didn't want to be there
06:47not with me
06:51mom's dead
06:53she was always there
06:56and now
06:59she's not
07:01to mom
07:04come on
07:09i want you to know
07:12i've decided to stay for the funeral
07:15you know
07:16attending your mother's funeral is not a noble thing
07:19you
07:20you make it sound
07:22noble
07:22it's my voice
07:25i'm gonna pay for the whole thing every penny
07:27yes you will
07:29i want to have it at the theater
07:30the funeral
07:31yes
07:32i want mom on stage
07:33one last time
07:34in a coffin
07:35of course
07:36obviously
07:39we'll invite the town
07:41the theater will live
07:43again
07:44if only briefly
07:46then
07:47i'll be gone
07:49it'll be my swan song
07:53isn't it mom's
07:55swan song
07:55yes
07:56hers too
08:00there's a restaurant
08:03mom's dead
08:05i don't know if we can actually do that
08:07put a dead body in a restaurant
08:10we're gonna need to get a permit
08:11i think you'll be able to make that happen
08:14you know the mayor
08:20it's a shitty apartment building
08:21where a lot of very lovely people live
08:24and it's on a lot that is not zoned commercial
08:26so rezone it
08:28best buy needs 5,000 square feet
08:29and i can't get that within the mall footprint
08:31well i'm sorry but i can't keep going back
08:34to planning and zoning for you
08:36people are not liking it
08:36best buy
08:38best buy
08:38i mean i'm bringing you a best buy
08:40tied up with a bow
08:41i mean look at me
08:43expanding your tax base
08:44it's a gift
08:46and i do not mean to sound ungrateful
08:49but there are a lot of people in this town
08:52who were beginning to think that you're the
08:54the devil
08:54yeah
08:56yeah because the devil comes to town in the dark of night
08:59and replaces a vape shop
09:00flowers by barbara
09:02and a shitty residential building with a best buy
09:05it's the worst stephen king novel i can imagine
09:08flowers by beverly
09:11her name's beverly
09:12and i'm really sorry for beverly
09:14but i didn't kill her business
09:15covid did
09:18look
09:19conversations like this are happening all over this country
09:21and they're not easy
09:23but you know you can either
09:25cry for the florist
09:27or the vape shop
09:28or uh
09:30you take my money
09:32and you take it
09:33and you rebuild this town
09:37or don't
09:38you know just
09:39hold a candlelight vigil for the whole friggin thing
09:43if i
09:44go to p and z for you
09:46then i need to be able to tell them
09:47that you've committed to
09:48building some low rent residential
09:50at least 12 units
09:51and in a better location
09:52why not
09:53and
09:55a $250,000 donation
09:57to the daycare center at the Y
09:58done
10:05oh
10:06look at
10:07are they
10:09you do cost me some money
10:12but
10:12we're doing it
10:13we're doing business
10:16how's the theater
10:17no it's fine
10:18fine
10:19but it's a lot
10:20right now
10:21because i don't know if you know
10:22uh
10:24my mother-in-law
10:25just died
10:27do you need help
10:29because you know
10:30if you help me with the taxes on 217
10:32roll them all in
10:33you need to go now
10:34should i uh
10:35cross the line
10:37hey listen you
10:38we're doing good work here
10:40you should be proud
10:42oh
10:42and if i am the devil
10:44then maybe the devil is what millisburg needs
10:53hey dad
10:55look at this
10:57if john let your cape touch the floor even for a moment
11:00you'd chase him around the room and beat him with your stick
11:03oh yeah i remember that
11:05two funny boys
11:07yeah
11:07your mother and i had a great laugh about that this morning
11:10you too
11:12that's good
11:12um
11:13speaking of mom
11:15um
11:16we
11:16we're doing a
11:17a thing
11:19for mom
11:20tomorrow
11:21at the theater
11:22a show
11:23it's a
11:24it's a kind of show
11:25um
11:26it's it's a
11:27it's a
11:28it's just
11:29it's a thing
11:30for
11:31for mom
11:32a celebration
11:32whoa
11:33are you in it
11:34yeah
11:34i have a part
11:36but it's
11:36it's more of an ensemble
11:38kind of thing
11:39mom
11:39in fact
11:40is
11:40the star
11:42do you understand
11:44i understand
11:45but my sweet boy
11:47it's not possible
11:49it breaks my heart to say this but
11:53she gave up her equity card
11:56years ago
11:58i suppose
11:59if it's a one-off thing
12:01the union would reinstate her
12:03let me look into it
12:06mind you
12:06if
12:07if it's a comedy
12:08maybe i could take her place
12:10remember my lady
12:12blacknell
12:12i had her rolling in the aisles
12:14it's more of a drama
12:16then
12:16um
12:18i'll call the equity people
12:20i'll let you know what they say
12:21okay
12:22okay
12:22i'll see you later
12:30i hope it's not inappropriate
12:32for me to say but
12:33i'm a big fan of your work
12:35oh
12:35no
12:36never inappropriate
12:37i followed your career
12:39we actually worked together
12:40once
12:41many years ago
12:42of course we did
12:43yes
12:43yes
12:45yes
12:46we did play together
12:47you were uh
12:48oh i remember
12:48i know
12:49i was somewhere
12:49with you
12:50it was at the mft
12:51it was at the mft
12:52yes
12:52what
12:53midsummer nice dream
12:54yes
12:54of course
12:55you were
12:55you're demetrius
12:57i was demetrius
12:59you were lysander
13:01kenny did the glitter makeup
13:02for the fairies
13:04oh
13:04that's when the bug bit me
13:07i still do all my clients myself
13:09oh
13:10no more glitter though
13:11you know
13:12no
13:12that's good
13:13i mean it is an art
13:14i mean
13:15simulating the glow of tissue
13:17flushed with blood
13:18and concealing scars
13:20and sutures
13:21so your loved one
13:22doesn't you know
13:23look like a mannequin
13:25but
13:26the best moment
13:28that i've ever had
13:29in the theater
13:30is the two of you
13:31doing our town
13:33falling in love
13:34in the soda shop
13:36you were so good together
13:39so real
13:42thank you
13:42now
13:43shall we say hello
13:44to your mother
13:45yes
13:47she's not finished
13:48but i think you'll be pleased
13:51excuse me
13:52kenny
13:53kenny
13:53when you say
13:54not finished
13:56in what way
13:57not finished
13:58don't worry
13:59she just looks like
14:00she's asleep
14:01like she could
14:02pop awake at any moment
14:03no
14:04could you
14:06could you just give me a moment
14:07certainly
14:21john's not very good
14:22with death
14:23i know
14:24i know
14:24yeah
14:26so i want to apologize
14:27for what i said
14:28at dinner
14:28last night
14:29about my lack
14:30of talent
14:32i was just
14:33kenny's right
14:34you
14:34you were good
14:35in our town
14:37you were good
14:37in everything
14:38i was good
14:39yeah
14:40thank you
14:43that was a long time ago
14:54richard
14:55what is it
14:58i'm sorry
14:59about ethel
15:03i really loved her
15:04i know you did
15:06she was like my mother too
15:12she wore this to your opening of long day's journey
15:15oh
15:16it's beautiful
15:18we're gonna put it on her
15:19no one's even gonna see it right
15:22hmm
15:23yeah
15:25everything just feels so ridiculous and pointless
15:29what do you mean
15:29what do you mean by everything
15:31everything
15:33they give birth a stride of a grave
15:35you're too young to quote beckett
15:38you've got your whole life ahead of you
15:39what am i going to do with it
15:41you're going to be an actor
15:43mom wants me to go to pen
15:45what do you want
15:47i want to act
15:49but i don't even know if i'm any good at it
15:52of course you're good
15:52you're my niece
15:54but maybe i only want to do it
15:55to piss mom off
15:56because she doesn't want me to do it
15:58i don't know
15:59i have anxiety all the time
16:01and everything is just fucked up
16:03democracy is dying
16:04people hate each other
16:06the world is just falling apart
16:07it's different than when you guys were young
16:09we had the cold war
16:10we had the bomb
16:11we had race riots
16:12we had
16:13richard nixon
16:14we had the vietnam war
16:16did papa or nana ever tell you
16:19about the rock musical
16:20that they put on at mft
16:21no
16:22vietnam rock it was called
16:24very controversial
16:25they were picketing us
16:26and i had this song
16:28men die young
16:29was the name of the song
16:31don't put all your eggs
16:33in one basket
16:34baskets wear out
16:36and men die young
16:38one night i was singing it
16:39and i came face to face
16:41with this woman that i knew
16:43whose son had just
16:44gotten his orders for vietnam
16:46just two weeks before
16:47and i'm singing this
16:48right in her face
16:49what did she do
16:50she threw her arms around me
16:52and hugged me
16:53tight
16:55i just kept singing
16:58what can i do
17:01every night after the play
17:03the audience and the actress
17:04would gather together
17:06and talk
17:07anyway we had our
17:11troubles
17:13yeah we felt
17:16disenfranchised
17:18angry as hell
17:20but
17:21we had a place
17:22where we could
17:23commiserate
17:24and commune
17:26now that place
17:27is a dinner theater
17:28uh
17:29yeah
17:30but
17:31it's still a theater
17:33so there's hope
17:36oh yeah
17:38perfect
17:42good
17:42now the other one
17:43has to come in about
17:43three inches
17:45towards
17:46how's it going
17:47oh
17:47great
17:48yo i'm glad you're here
17:49you can help me with the music cues
17:50i'm gonna have underscoring
17:51you know
17:52between
17:53that's transitional
17:55why are you there
17:59that's me and hamlet
18:00that was mom's favorite
18:01you can't do that
18:02why not
18:03because it's not your funeral
18:05i'm shocked
18:07i have to remind you of that
18:08i know it's not my funeral
18:09but uh
18:10mom
18:10loved
18:11that performance
18:12it was
18:13her
18:13favorite
18:14and the town will recognize it
18:16ties in the whole
18:17theater
18:18mom
18:19the graveyard
18:20death
18:21the whole
18:22tragedy
18:25okay
18:25fine
18:26nina
18:26let's lose the
18:27the photograph
18:28stage right
18:29put it downstairs
18:30and replace it with
18:32mom in salome
18:33no
18:36hold that thought
18:38mom in south pacific
18:40it's in the green room
18:42happy
18:43yes
18:43let's run the um
18:44the sound cues for ethel's entrance
18:46shall we
18:47yeah
18:47we're gonna run
18:48cue 14
18:49her entrance
18:50yeah
18:51start with uh
18:53number one please
18:54whenever you're ready
18:55number one
19:18yeah i get it i get it
19:19it's your trend's fixed
19:20you don't like it
19:21i know it's too much
19:23it was just an idea
19:24um
19:24reset 14
19:26reset 14
19:27this next one
19:28is gonna be entirely different
19:29much more lighthearted
19:30more carefree
19:31more whimsical
19:32you'll recognize it
19:33it's one of mom's favorites
19:36uh number six
19:38number six
19:39going
19:51seriously
19:53what too light
19:54send in the clowns
19:55isn't that totally disrespectful
19:57is it just me
19:58yeah it's just you
20:00i said the same thing
20:01thank you randall
20:03you're welcome
20:03thank you randall
20:04yes and how many tony awards
20:06have you won
20:06remind me please
20:07yeah okay i don't know
20:08what i'm doing
20:08i mean how would i
20:09take a breath
20:10take a breath
20:11hey hey
20:12clearly i know nothing
20:13listen
20:14maybe
20:14maybe
20:15maybe
20:16don't have to
20:17cough and
20:18descend
20:19just have it on the stage
20:21at the beginning
20:23nope nope
20:24it's gotta have an entrance
20:25sorry sorry
20:26this this is the theater
20:27the mom built
20:28with dad
20:29and it's her last entrance
20:30and it's gotta be
20:31a big entrance
20:32okay
20:32cue three
21:03i don't know what i was thinking
21:04i'm sorry
21:05i just i'm sacrificing
21:07everything for some cheap spectacle
21:09i'm not trusting the material
21:11it's a funeral
21:13everybody loved mom
21:14they're gonna be sad
21:14yeah
21:15yeah
21:16i just want it to be perfect
21:17that's all
21:17i know you do
21:19i know you do
21:21it's gotta be great
21:22yeah
21:22hey
21:23just the fact that it's here
21:26in our theater
21:27of course i know
21:28that's
21:28you're right
21:28that's your gift to her
21:29yeah
21:30thanks john
21:31you're right
21:32um
21:34let's lose the fog machine random
21:36that's a mistake
21:47thanks for coming
21:52you have the house
21:56how so
22:06richard
22:07richard
22:09here i am
22:10how are you doing dad
22:11fine fine
22:12john's taking good care of me
22:13good
22:14your mother is so looking forward to this
22:20we're good
22:22would you help granddad
22:26hi sweetie
22:40hi everyone
22:45it means so much looking out and
22:48seeing you all here
22:50and i want to thank you
22:51for coming here today
22:52to help us celebrate the life of my mother
22:56ethelbee
23:00a wife
23:01an actress
23:04and a friend
23:05a friend to all of you
23:10i'm sorry
23:13i'm sorry
23:16you okay
23:21where were you
23:23friend to all
23:25and grandam of this
23:27our
23:27our family's theater
23:30as some of you know
23:31she was born in dayton
23:33and she worked her way
23:34through nursing school
23:35as an upholsterer's assistant
23:37but the truth is
23:38life for ethel harper bean
23:40really didn't begin
23:42until she played laura
23:43in the glass menagerie
23:45right here
23:46on this stage
23:49with linus there
23:51as her gentleman caller
23:54i'm good
23:56i think i've got it
23:59you know my mother
24:01always dreamed
24:02of being an actress
24:04but it took her a while
24:05to find a home
24:07this place
24:08this place was her home
24:10the millersburg festival theater
24:13and it's her life
24:14in this place
24:16that she would want us
24:17to celebrate
24:19now we have a video
24:20for you
24:20it was put together
24:21by miranda
24:22and randall
24:24so please
24:49horace bandeguilder
24:50never tired of saying
24:52most people
24:53people in the world
24:55we're fools
24:57and in a way
24:58i think he's right
24:59isn't he
25:02but there comes a moment
25:03in everybody's life
25:04when he must decide
25:06whether to live
25:07with human beings
25:08or not
25:09be a fool among fools
25:10or a fool alone
25:13as for me
25:15i've decided
25:16to live among them
25:28oh here
25:29excuse me
25:29is there a funeral
25:30happening in here
25:31yes there is
25:32wait
25:32what
25:33you are he
25:34what
25:34you're from the movies
25:36connor
25:36this is he
25:37he's the one
25:38i'm telling you
25:39about oh my god
25:40would you sign
25:41would you sign
25:42just one thing
25:43i'm so sorry
25:44this is totally inappropriate
25:45i'm connor boyle
25:46i'm working with the mayor
25:48your sister
25:49no i mean
25:50you are
25:51no he's richard bean
25:52you idiot
25:52he's huge
25:53oh you know
25:54she huge
25:55come on
25:55would you sign something
25:56please
25:58of course
26:00shh
26:00shh
26:02it's nice
26:04put to nadia
26:07uh nad
26:09nadia
26:09nadia
26:10with great love
26:12and respect
26:15and i
26:16and don't ever
26:18don't ever give up
26:19on dreams
26:20i will
26:21and then put
26:22your dreams will
26:23your dreams will come true
26:24one day
26:25your dreams i hope so
26:27i promise
26:29love always
26:30love
26:31i carry you in my heart
26:33i've run out of room
26:34and then you just put
26:35just put your name
26:36yeah just great
26:37really appreciate it
26:38thank you very much
26:38you don't know
26:39how much this means to me
26:41you don't know how the theater
26:42it feeds me
26:43i hope they haven't buried you yet
26:46when you walk
26:48through a storm
26:50hold your head
26:52up high
26:54and don't
26:56be afraid
26:56of the dark
26:58at the end of the storm
27:02there's a golden sky
27:06and the sweet silver song
27:09of a lark
27:11walk on
27:14through the wind
27:17walk on
27:19through the rain
27:21though your dreams
27:24be tossed
27:26and blown
27:28hello
27:28it's your paid friend ollie
27:30richard are you there
27:32yes i am
27:32here's the deal
27:33they are willing
27:34to have you back
27:35at lierra
27:36but you need to consent
27:37to a psychological evaluation
27:39and two weeks
27:40of anchor management training
27:42yes
27:43i'll have to think about it
27:45i'll call you back
27:59thank you
28:04i have to admit
28:05i thought this would be a train wreck
28:07oh
28:07i gave him a few notes
28:09it's kind of great
28:15we are such stuff
28:17as dreams
28:17are made on
28:19and our little life
28:20is rounded
28:21with a sleep
28:25shakespeare's tempest
28:26his last play
28:28and his farewell
28:30to the theater
28:31fitting words today
28:33as we say goodbye
28:35to my mother ethel
28:36the founder
28:37of this
28:40this theater
28:42it's difficult for me
28:44to explain
28:44what it was like
28:45growing up
28:45in an atmosphere
28:46of creativity
28:47and free expression
28:48and the impact
28:50that it had
28:50on me
28:51my brother john
28:53on kristin
28:54and miranda
28:56and this town
28:59there's mrs wilkie
29:00my favorite
29:01algebra teacher
29:02and a brilliant
29:04masha
29:04in the seagull
29:06howard fraser
29:07who
29:08when the lights
29:08went out
29:09on our
29:09morning becomes
29:10electra
29:11he ran out
29:11to his truck
29:12hooked up
29:12our electrical
29:13system
29:13and in five minutes
29:15presto
29:16the lights
29:16were back on
29:17he knew
29:17how important
29:18it was
29:18to keep
29:19the lights
29:19on
29:20in this theater
29:21at that moment
29:21it was the most
29:22important thing
29:22in his life
29:23and it still
29:24is important
29:26because the
29:26millersburg festival
29:27theater
29:28was not just
29:29my mother's
29:29home
29:29it was
29:31and is
29:32the soul
29:33of this town
29:35sadly
29:36i must report
29:38that
29:39because of
29:40financial pressures
29:41and
29:42misguided
29:43programming
29:44choices
29:45this theater
29:46is in trouble
29:48it might even
29:49close
29:50that's right
29:51but we are not
29:53going to let
29:54that happen
29:55are we
29:56no
29:58i'm coming
30:00home
30:00to millersburg
30:02i'm coming
30:03home
30:04and i swear
30:06to you
30:06that together
30:07i will
30:09restore
30:10the soul
30:11of this town
30:13by producing
30:14and directing
30:15and maybe
30:16starring in
30:17the greatest
30:18production
30:18this country
30:19has ever seen
30:20of a true
30:21american classic
30:23thornton wilders
30:24our town
30:39this is mom's
30:40funeral
30:41right
30:41no
30:42not anymore
30:43it's the richard
30:44band show
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