- 2 days 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 say it do not say it
03:50i will say please
03:52you weren't as good as i was you are such a dick well at the time you weren't you want
03:58to know why
03:58i wasn't able to go to auditions because the entire time i was there i was looking after you
04:08use the front door you know yeah you always used to say that i was super romantic and stuff
04:16whoa what is up with the yelling my mom and uncle are having an epic shit fight
04:20i used to date like 20 years ago your mom dated your uncle
04:24oh there's duck on the bed if he wants them
04:32oh my god so i finished our mirando demo really and it's a total banger when you slay the fucking
04:41kingdom babe don't say slay
04:51that's your voice jesus smoke out the window
04:57sorry you do sound pretty good
05:02so i can get us gigs when you're at pen and i got a lead on an apartment in brewery
05:07town it's
05:07850 a month which is sick could we chill for like five seconds yeah
05:12just know what we're doing yeah it's just you're i'm not accepted at pen i'm waitlisted at pen
05:16and you're talking about apartments it's stressing me out
05:18pen would be crazy to not take you i mean you're the smartest most talented most wonderful person
05:25i've ever met thanks
05:29why am i even trying to go there it's great school
05:34i know that's what my mom says but
05:39i don't know
05:42my nana's gone
05:45might be moving away
05:51everything just happens so fast
06:00life
06:03you're so hot
06:06you called her a bad actress again
06:09why do you do that
06:11she gets all self-righteous you know and just it
06:16writes off my whole life
06:19she gets in my head to this day when i'm trying to make a decision about something i hear her
06:24voice
06:25judging me
06:26you know
06:28sometimes
06:29when you talk about kristen it's like you think
06:32you're married to her
06:33i just want to remind you
06:35she's actually my wife
06:36no i know
06:37yeah
06:38i know
06:39and she was a terrific actress in new york
06:41she just didn't want to be there
06:44not with me
06:48mom's dead
06:50she was always there
06:53and now
06:56she's not
06:58to mom
07:06i want you to know
07:09i've decided to stay for the funeral
07:12you know attending your mother's funeral is not a noble thing
07:16you
07:17you make it sound
07:19noble
07:19it's my voice
07:22i'm gonna pay for the whole thing every penny
07:24yes you will
07:26i want to have it at the theater
07:27the funeral
07:28yes
07:29i want mom on stage
07:30one last time
07:31in a coffin
07:32of course
07:33obviously
07:36we'll invite the town
07:38the theater will live
07:40again
07:41if only briefly
07:43then
07:44i'll be gone
07:46it'll be my swan song
07:50isn't it mom's swan song
07:52yes
07:54hers too
07:57there's a restaurant
08:00mom's dead
08:02i don't know if we can actually do that
08:04put a dead body in a restaurant
08:06we're
08:07we're gonna need to get a permit
08:08i think you'll be able to make that happen
08:11you know the mayor
08:17it's a shitty apartment building
08:18where a lot of very lovely people live
08:21and it's on a lot that is not zoned commercial
08:23so rezone it
08:25best buy needs 5,000 square feet
08:26and i can't get that within the mall footprint
08:28well i'm sorry but i can't keep going back to planning and zoning for you
08:33people are not liking it
08:33best buy
08:35best buy
08:35i mean i'm bringing you a best buy title with a bow
08:38i mean look at me
08:40expanding your tax base
08:41it's a gift
08:43and i do not mean to sound ungrateful
08:46but there are a lot of people in this town
08:49who
08:49who are beginning to think that you're the
08:51the devil
08:51yeah
08:53yeah because the devil comes to town in the dark of night
08:56and replaces a vape shop
08:57flowers by
08:58barbara
08:59and a shitty residential building with a best buy
09:03it's the worst stephen king novel i can imagine
09:05flowers by beverly
09:08her name is beverly
09:09and i'm really sorry for beverly but i didn't kill her business
09:12covid did
09:15look
09:16conversations like this are happening all over this country
09:18and they're not easy
09:20but you know you can either
09:22cry for the florist or the vape shop or
09:27you take my money
09:29and you take it
09:30and you rebuild this town
09:34i don't
09:35i'll just
09:37hold a candlelight vigil for the whole friggin thing
09:40if i
09:41go to p and z for you
09:43then i need to be able to tell them that you've committed to
09:45building some low rent residential
09:47at least 12 units
09:48and in a better location
09:49why not
09:50and
09:52a 250 000 donation to the daycare center at the y
09:55why
09:56done
10:02oh
10:03look at all
10:05they
10:06you do cost me some money but
10:09we're doing it
10:10we're doing business
10:13how's the theater
10:15it's fine
10:15fine
10:16but it's a lot
10:17right now
10:18because i don't know if you know
10:20my mother-in-law
10:22just died
10:24do you need help
10:26because you know
10:27if you help me with the taxes on 217
10:29roll them all in
10:30you need to go now
10:31should i uh
10:32cross the line
10:34hey
10:35listen you
10:35we're doing good work here
10:37you should be proud
10:39oh and if i am the devil
10:41then maybe the devil is what millersburg needs
10:50hey dad
10:52look at this
10:54if john let your cape touch the floor even for a moment
10:57you'd chase him around the room and beat him with your stick
11:00oh yeah i remember that
11:02two funny boys
11:04yeah
11:04your mother and i had a great laugh about that this morning
11:07you too
11:09that's good
11:09um
11:11speaking of mom
11:12um
11:13we're doing a
11:15a thing
11:16for mom
11:17tomorrow
11:18at the theater
11:19a show
11:20it's a it's a kind of show
11:23um
11:23it's it's a
11:25it's a
11:25it's just it's a thing
11:27for for mom
11:29a celebration
11:29whoa
11:30are you in it
11:31yeah
11:31i have a part but it's
11:33it's it's more of an ensemble
11:35kind of thing
11:36mom
11:36in fact
11:37is
11:37the star
11:39understand
11:41i understand but my sweet boy it's not possible
11:46it breaks my heart to say this but
11:50she gave up her equity card years ago
11:55i suppose if it's a one-off thing the union would reinstate her
12:00let me look into it
12:02mind you if
12:04if it's a comedy
12:05maybe i could take her place
12:07remember my lady brecknell
12:09i had her rolling in the aisles
12:11it's more of a drama
12:13then
12:14um
12:15i'll call the equity people
12:17i'll let you know what they say okay
12:19okay
12:19i'll see you later
12:27i hope it's not inappropriate for me to say but
12:31i'm a big fan of your work
12:32oh
12:32no never inappropriate
12:34i followed your career
12:36we actually worked together once
12:38many years ago
12:39of course we did
12:40yes
12:40yes
12:42yes we did play together
12:44you were uh
12:45oh i remember i know
12:46i was somewhere with you
12:47it was at the mft
12:48it was at the mft
12:49yes
12:49what
12:50midsummer nice dream
12:51yes
12:51of course
12:52you were
12:52you were demetrius
12:54i was demetrius
12:56you were lysander
12:58kenny did the glitter makeup for the fairies
13:01oh
13:01that's when the bug bit me
13:04i still do all my clients myself
13:06oh
13:07no more glitter though
13:08you know
13:09no
13:09that's good
13:10i mean it is an art
13:11i mean
13:13simulating the glow of tissue flushed with blood
13:15and concealing scars and sutures
13:18so your loved one doesn't you know
13:20look like a mannequin
13:22but
13:24the best moment
13:25that i've ever had in the theater
13:27is the two of you doing our town
13:30falling in love in the soda shop
13:33you were so good together
13:36so real
13:38thank you
13:39now
13:40shall we say hello to your mother
13:42yes
13:44she's not finished
13:45but i think you'll be pleased
13:48excuse me
13:49kenny
13:50kenny
13:50when you say
13:51not finished
13:52in what way not finished
13:55don't worry
13:56she just looks like she's asleep
13:58like she could
13:59pop awake at any moment
14:00no
14:01could you
14:03could you just give me a moment
14:05certainly
14:09what
14:11john
14:18john's not very good with death
14:20i know
14:21i know
14:21yeah
14:23so i want to apologize for what i said at dinner
14:25last night
14:26about my lack of talent
14:29i was just
14:30kenny's right
14:31you were good
14:32you were good
14:33in our town
14:34you were good in everything
14:35i was good
14:36yeah
14:37thank you
14:40that was a long time ago
14:51richard
14:52what is it
14:55i'm sorry about ethel
14:59i really loved her
15:01i know you did
15:03she was like my mother
15:04she wore this to your opening of long day's journey
15:13it's beautiful
15:15we're gonna put it on her
15:16no one's even gonna see it right
15:22everything just feels so ridiculous and pointless
15:26what do you mean
15:26what do you mean by everything
15:28everything
15:30they give birth a stride of a grave
15:32you're too young to go back it
15:35you've got your whole life ahead of you
15:36what am i going to do with it
15:38you're going to be an actor
15:40mom wants me to go to pen
15:42what do you want
15:43i want to act
15:46but i don't even know if i'm any good at it
15:49of course you're good
15:50you're my niece
15:51but maybe i only want to do it to piss mom off
15:53because she doesn't want me to do it
15:55i don't know
15:56i have anxiety all the time
15:58and everything is just fucked up
16:00democracy is dying
16:01people hate each other
16:03the world is just falling apart
16:04it's different than when you guys were young
16:06we had the cold war
16:07we had the bomb
16:08we had race riots
16:09we had
16:10richard nixon
16:11we had the vietnam war
16:13did papa or nana ever tell you about the rock musical that they put on an mft
16:18no
16:19viet rock it was called
16:21very controversial
16:22they were picketing us
16:23and i had this song
16:25men die young was the name of the song
16:28don't put all your eggs in one basket
16:31baskets wear out
16:33and men die young
16:35one night i was singing it
16:36and i came face to face with this woman that i knew
16:40whose son had just gotten his orders for vietnam
16:43just two weeks before
16:44and i'm singing this right in her face
16:46what did she do?
16:48she threw her arms around me and hugged me tight
16:52i just kept singing
16:55what can i do?
16:58every night after the play
17:00the audience and the actors would gather together
17:03and talk
17:04anyway we had our
17:08troubles
17:10yeah
17:11we felt
17:13disenfranchised
17:15angry as hell
17:17but
17:18we had a place where we could commiserate
17:21and commune
17:23now that place is a dinner theater
17:26uh
17:26yeah
17:27but
17:28it's still a theater
17:30so there's hope
17:33oh yeah
17:35perfect
17:39good
17:39now the other one has to come in about
17:40three inches
17:42towards
17:43how's it going?
17:44oh
17:44great
17:45yo i'm glad you're here
17:46you can help me with the music cues
17:47i'm gonna have underscoring
17:48you know
17:49between
17:50it's transitional
17:52why are you there?
17:55that's me and hamlet
17:57that was mom's favorite
17:58you can't do that
17:59why not?
18:01because it's not your funeral
18:02i'm shocked
18:04i have to remind you of that
18:05i know it's not my funeral
18:06but uh
18:07mom
18:07loved
18:08that performance
18:09it was
18:10her
18:10favorite
18:11and the town will recognize it
18:13ties in the whole
18:14theater
18:15mom
18:16the graveyard
18:17death
18:18the whole tragedy
18:22okay
18:22hi
18:23nina
18:23let's lose the photograph
18:25stage right
18:26put it downstairs
18:27and replace it with
18:29mom in salome
18:30no
18:33hold that thought
18:35mom in south pacific
18:37it's in the green room
18:39happy?
18:40yes
18:40let's run the um
18:41the sound cues for ethel's entrance
18:43shall we?
18:44we're gonna
18:45we'll run cue 14
18:46for entrance?
18:47yeah
18:48start with uh
18:50number one please
18:51whenever you're ready
18:52number one
19:14yeah i get it
19:16i get it
19:16you're transfixed
19:17you don't like it
19:18i get it
19:19i know
19:19it's too much
19:20it was just an idea
19:21um
19:21reset 14
19:23reset 14
19:24this next one
19:25is gonna be entirely different
19:26much more lighthearted
19:27more carefree
19:28more whimsical
19:29you'll recognize it
19:30it's one of mom's favorites
19:33uh
19:34number six
19:35number six
19:36going
19:48seriously
19:50what
19:50too light
19:51send in the clowns
19:52isn't that totally disrespectful
19:54is it just me
19:55yeah
19:56it's just you
19:57i said the same thing
19:58thank you randall
20:00you're welcome
20:00thank you randall
20:01yes and how many tony awards
20:03have you won
20:03remind me please
20:04okay i don't know what i'm doing
20:05i mean how would i
20:06hey hey hey take a breath
20:07take a breath
20:08hey hey
20:09clearly i know nothing
20:10listen maybe
20:11maybe
20:12maybe
20:13don't have to
20:14cough and
20:15descend
20:16just have it on the stage
20:18at the beginning
20:20nope
20:21nope
20:21gotta have an entrance
20:22sorry
20:23sorry
20:23this
20:23this is the theater
20:24that mom built
20:25with dad
20:26and it's her last
20:27entrance
20:27and it's gotta be
20:28a big entrance
20:29okay
20:29cue three
20:53what the fuck
20:57okay
21:00i don't know what i was thinking
21:01i'm sorry
21:02i just i'm sacrificing
21:03everything for some cheap spectacle
21:06i'm not trusting the material
21:08it's a funeral
21:10everybody loved mom
21:11they're gonna be sad
21:11yeah
21:12yeah
21:13i just want it to be perfect
21:14that's all
21:14i know you do
21:16i know you do
21:18it's gonna be great
21:19yeah
21:20hey
21:20just the fact that it's here
21:23in our theater
21:24of course i know
21:25you're right
21:25it's your gift to her
21:26yeah
21:27thanks john
21:28you're right
21:29um
21:31let's lose the fog machine
21:32random
21:33that's a mistake
21:44thanks for coming
21:49you have the house
21:53house up
22:03richard
22:03richard
22:05richard
22:06here i am
22:07how are you doing dad
22:08fine fine
22:09john's taking good care of me
22:10good
22:11your mother is so looking forward to this
22:17we're good
22:18would you help grant him
22:23hi sweet
22:24hi sweet
22:25hi
22:29hi everyone
22:42it means so much
22:43looking out and
22:45seeing you all here
22:47and i want to thank you
22:48for coming here today
22:49to help us celebrate
22:50the life of my mother
22:53ethel b
22:57a wife
22:58an actress
23:01and a friend
23:02a friend
23:03a friend
23:03a friend to all of you
23:07i'm sorry
23:10i'm sorry
23:20friend to all
23:22and grand dam
23:23of this
23:24our
23:25our family's theater
23:27as some of you know
23:28she was born in dayton
23:30and she worked her way
23:31through nursing school
23:32as an upholsterer's assistant
23:34but the truth is
23:35life for ethel harper bean
23:37really didn't begin
23:39until she played laura
23:40in the glass menagerie
23:42right here
23:43on this stage
23:46with linus there
23:48as her gentleman caller
23:51okay
23:51i think i'm good
23:53i think i've got it
23:56you know my mother
23:58always dreamed
23:59of being an actress
24:01but it took her a while
24:02to find a home
24:04this place
24:05this place was her home
24:07the millersburg festival theater
24:10and it's her life
24:11in this place
24:12that she would want us
24:14to celebrate
24:15now we have a video for you
24:17it was put together
24:18by miranda
24:19and randall
24:21so please
24:46horace bandagelder
24:47never tired of saying
24:49most people
24:49people in the world
24:52we're fools
24:53we're fools
24:54and in a way
24:55i think he's right
24:56isn't he
24:59but there comes a moment
25:00in everybody's life
25:01when he must decide
25:03whether to live with
25:04human beings or not
25:06be a fool among fools
25:07or a fool alone
25:10as for me
25:12i've decided to live among them
25:25oh here
25:26excuse me
25:26is there a funeral
25:27happening in here
25:28yes there is
25:29wait
25:29you are he
25:31you're from the movies
25:33connor
25:33this is he
25:34he's the one
25:35i tell you about
25:36oh my god
25:37what's your sign
25:38what's your sign
25:39just one thing i have
25:40i'm so sorry
25:41this is totally inappropriate
25:42i'm connor boyle
25:43i'm working with the mayor
25:45your sister
25:46no i mean you are
25:48no he's richard dean
25:49you idiot
25:49he's huge
25:50oh well you know
25:51she's huge
25:52come on love
25:52would you sign something
25:53please
25:54of course
25:56this is my
25:58it's nice
26:01put to nadia
26:04uh nad
26:06nadia
26:07with great love
26:09and respect
26:12and i
26:13and don't ever
26:15don't ever give up
26:16on dreams
26:17i will
26:18and then put
26:19uh your dreams will
26:20your dreams will come through
26:21one day
26:22your dreams i hope so
26:24i promise
26:25oh okay
26:26love always
26:27love
26:28i carry you in my heart
26:30i've been out of room
26:31and then you just put
26:32just put your name
26:33yeah just great
26:34really appreciate it
26:35thank you very much
26:35you don't know
26:36how much this means to me
26:38you don't know how the theater
26:39it feeds me
26:40i hope they haven't buried you yet
26:43when you walk
26:44through a storm
26:46hold your head
26:49up high
26:50and don't
26:53be afraid
26:53of the dark
26:55at the end
26:57of the storm
26:59there's a golden sky
27:03and the sweet silver song
27:06of a lark
27:08walk on
27:11through the wind
27:14walk on
27:16through the rain
27:18though your dreams
27:20be tossed
27:23and
27:23hello
27:25it's your paid friend
27:26ollie
27:28richard are you there
27:29yes i am
27:29here's the deal
27:30they are willing
27:31to have you back
27:32at lierra
27:33but you need to consent
27:34to a psychological evaluation
27:35and two weeks
27:37of anger management training
27:39yes
27:40i'll have to think about it
27:42i'll call you back
27:42you'll never
27:45walk
27:49alone
27:55thank you
28:01i have to admit
28:02i thought this would be
28:03a train wreck
28:03oh
28:04i gave him a few notes
28:06it's kind of great
28:12we are such stuff
28:14as dreams
28:14are made on
28:16and our little life
28:17is rounded
28:19with a sleep
28:22shakespeare's tempest
28:23his last play
28:25and his farewell
28:27to the theater
28:29fitting words
28:30today
28:30as we
28:31say goodbye
28:32to my mother
28:32ethel
28:33the founder
28:35of this
28:37this theater
28:39it's difficult
28:40for me to explain
28:41what it was like
28:42growing up
28:42in an atmosphere
28:43of creativity
28:44and free expression
28:45and the impact
28:47that it had
28:47on me
28:48and my brother
28:49john
28:50on kristin
28:51and miranda
28:54and this town
28:56there's mrs wilkie
28:57my favorite
28:58algebra teacher
28:59and a brilliant
29:01masha
29:01in the seagull
29:03howard frazier
29:04who
29:05when the lights
29:05went out
29:06on our
29:06morning becomes
29:07electra
29:08he ran out
29:08to his truck
29:09hooked up
29:09our electrical
29:10system
29:10and in five
29:11minutes
29:12presto
29:13the lights
29:13were back on
29:14he knew
29:14how important
29:15it was
29:15to keep
29:16the lights
29:16on
29:17in this theater
29:18at that moment
29:18it was the most
29:19important thing
29:19in his life
29:20and it still
29:21is important
29:23because the
29:23millersburg festival
29:24theater was not
29:25just my mother's
29:26home
29:26it was
29:27and is
29:29the soul
29:30of this town
29:32sadly
29:33i must report
29:35that
29:36because of
29:37financial pressures
29:38and
29:39misguided
29:40programming
29:41choices
29:42this theater
29:43is in trouble
29:45it might even
29:46close
29:47that's right
29:48but we are
29:50not going
29:50to let
29:51that happen
29:52are we
29:53no
29:56i'm coming
29:57home
29:57to millersburg
29:59i'm coming
30:00home
30:01and i swear
30:03to you
30:03that together
30:04i will
30:06restore
30:07the soul
30:08of this town
30:10by producing
30:11and directing
30:12and maybe
30:13starring in
30:14the greatest
30:15production
30:15this country
30:16has ever
30:17seen
30:17of a true
30:18american classic
30:20thornton wilders
30:21our town
30:24my sons
30:25come home
30:36this is mom's
30:37funeral
30:38right
30:38no
30:38not anymore
30:40it's the richard
30:41bean show
30:42it's the richard
30:42and such
30:44the richard
Comments