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American Classic S01E02 (2026) #SERIESHUB
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00:02it was a nightmare people were yelling for gravy and potatoes and more brussels sprouts and peas and
00:08they thought i was a waiter i've never even played a waiter not staying for your mother's
00:12funeral because of a matinee of nonsense is overreacting i'm not overreacting everything
00:17i loved is gone you just have to get through this do i i don't think i do i think
00:22you have
00:22to get me out of here and get me back on stage i don't care how you do it we've
00:26been over this
00:27you are still a meme listen i'm asking healthy as a friend okay a what a friend you're my friend
00:35all your friends get ten percent look i won't stay here just find me a path out of
00:43i'll call you back
00:46what are you doing here dinner remember we need to sit down hey we need to sit down
00:53have 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
01:19absolutely nothing our parents acted on that stage dad should be there now doing leer doing it
01:24he's living it no he's not he's okay he's compromised in some ways but he's he's he knows who he
01:30is he
01:31confided in me something that uh well that i confided so i can't share it he's gay
01:38you know everybody knows he came out the first time about a month ago now he comes out every day
01:43and then he forgets he did and he comes out again it's sad and happy it's weird well i wish
01:49somebody
01:50had told me that our dad was in a coming out loop jesus i mean you could have called i
01:56would have come
01:56and done what beat him up oh honey don't say that that's not good sweetheart don't you have something
02:00to do i want to see who wins he was doing willie lowman for me he did out out brief
02:04candle he made
02:05me cry it reminded me of how great we were in our dinner theater you are such a pompous ass
02:14if you'd climb down from your ivory tower for five minutes maybe maybe you see what's going on in
02:20this country do you have any idea how hard it is just to live we had to close down for
02:2515 months
02:26our subscriber base is gone moran why don't you take some duck up to your room okay can i have
02:31some wine no no you cannot cannot have any wine you know we can't afford to produce anything on our
02:37own so yes we are bringing in pre-packaged touring musicals because we're just trying to make sure
02:43this theater survives we are serving food we are serving alcohol and let me tell you something
02:48forever plaid and nonsense saved our ass you're gouging out the soul of this town
02:56you do know that what does the mayor have to say about this she's the mayor i'm the mayor you're
03:01the mayor yep i'm the mayor deal with it dark and stormy as i thought it was appropriate it's
03:06usually ginger beer and rum but i've added a little just give it to me make it more of an
03:10event you've
03:11changed kristen you have fundamentally changed as a human being oh no no no you don't get to tell me
03:17who i am i'm not telling you who you are i'm telling you who you were you had very high
03:21ideals you
03:22were an artist you built a theater company with your bare hands in new york we nothing we built a
03:29theater company you just stopped showing up you still blame me because my career took off
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 mom your mom dated your uncle oh they're stuck on the bed if you want some
04:35oh my god so i finished our mirando demo really and it's a total banger when you slay the fucking
04:44kingdom babe don't say slay
04:54that's your voice she says 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
05:10eight hundred and fifty dollars a month which is sick could we chill for like five seconds yeah
05:15that's not what we're doing yeah it's just you're i'm not accepted at pen i'm waitlisted at
05:19pen and you're talking about apartments it's stressing me out
05:21pen would be crazy to not take you
05:25i mean you're the smartest most talented most wonderful person i'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
05:42i 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
06:18writes 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
07:03to mom
07:09i want you to know
07:12i've decided to stay for the funeral
07:15you know attending 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
07:31the 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 swan song
07:56yes
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
08:11we'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 we zone 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
08:41tied 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 the 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 is beverly
09:12and i'm really sorry for beverly but i didn't kill her business covid did
09:19look conversations like this are happening all over this country and they're not easy
09:23but you know you can either cry for the florist or the vape shop or uh
09:30you take my money
09:32and you take it
09:33and you rebuild this town
09:37i don't
09:38you know just
09:39hold a candlelight vigil for the whole friggin thing
09:43if i go to p and z for you then i need to be able to tell them that you've
09:47committed 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 to the daycare center at the y
09:59done
10:05oh
10:06oh
10:07look at all
10:08hey
10:09you
10:10you did cost me some money but
10:12we're doing it
10:13we're doing business
10:16how's the theater
10:17it's fine
10:18fine
10:19but it's a lot
10:20right now
10:21because i don't know if you know
10:22uh
10:23my 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
10:38hey listen you
10:38we're doing good work here
10:40you should be proud
10:42oh
10:43and if i am the devil
10:44then maybe the devil is what millisburg needs
10:54hey there
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
11:13um
11:14speaking of mom
11:16we're doing a
11:18a thing
11:19for mom
11:20tomorrow
11:21at the theater
11:23a show
11:23it's a
11:24it's a kind of show
11:25um
11:26it's it's a
11:28it's a
11:28it's just
11:29it's a thing
11:30for
11:31for mom
11:32a celebration
11:33whoa
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
11:42understand
11:43i understand
11:46but my sweet boy
11:47it's not possible
11:49it breaks my heart to say this but
11:53she gave up her equity card years ago
11:58i i suppose if it's a one-off thing the union would reinstate her
12:03let me look into it
12:06mind you if
12:07if it's a comedy
12:08maybe i could take her place
12:10remember my lady brecknell
12:12i had her rolling in the aisles
12:15it's more of a drama
12:16dad
12:16um
12:18i'll call the equity people
12:20i'll let you know what they say okay
12:22okay
12:22i'll see you later
12:30i hope it's not inappropriate for 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 once
12:41many years ago
12:42of course we did
12:43yes
12:43yes
12:45yes we 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 the mft
12:52yes
12:52what
12:53midsummer nice dream
12:54yes
12:54of course
12:55you were you're demetrius
12:57i was demetrius
12:59you were lysander
13:01kenny did the glitter makeup for 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 flushed with blood
13:18and concealing scars and sutures
13:21so your loved one doesn't you know
13:23look like a mannequin
13:25but
13:27the best moment
13:28that i've ever had in the theater
13:30is the two of you doing our town
13:33falling in love in the soda shop
13:36you were so good together
13:39so real
13:42thank you
13:42now
13:43shall we say hello to your mother
13:45yes
13:47she's not finished
13:48but i think you'll be pleased
13:51excuse me kenny kenny when you say
13:54not finished
13:56in what way not finished
13:58don't worry
13:59she just looks like she's asleep
14:01like she could pop 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 with death
14:23i know i know
14:24yeah
14:26so i want to apologize for what i said at dinner
14:28last night
14:29about my lack of talent
14:32i was just
14:34kenny's right
14:34you you were good
14:36in our town
14:37you were good in everything
14:38i was good
14:39yeah
14:41thank you
14:43that was a long time ago
14:54richard
14:55what is it
14:58i'm sorry about ethel
15:03i really loved her
15:04i know you did
15:06she was like my mother too
15:13she wore this to your opening of long day's journey
15:15oh it's beautiful
15:18we're gonna put it on her
15:19no one's even gonna see it right
15:25everything just feels so ridiculous and pointless
15:29what do you mean by everything
15:31everything
15:33they give birth a stride of a grave
15:35you're too young to go back it
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
15:53you're my niece
15:54but maybe i only want to do it to 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
16:04democracy is dying
16:05people 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 richard nixon
16:14we had the vietnam war
16:16did papa or nana ever tell you about the rock musical that they put on at mft
16:21no
16:22viet rock it was called
16:24very controversial
16:25they were picketing us
16:27i had this song
16:28men die young was the name of the song
16:31don't put all your eggs in 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 with 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 right in her face
16:49what did she do
16:50she threw her arms around me
16:52and hugged me tight
16:55i just kept singing
16:58what can i do
17:01every night after the play
17:03the audience and the actors would gather together
17:06and talk
17:07anyway we had our
17:11troubles
17:13yeah
17:14we felt
17:16disenfranchised
17:18angry as hell
17:20but
17:21we had a place where we could
17:23commiserate
17:24and commune
17:26now that place is a dinner theater
17:29uh
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 has to come in about
17:44three inches
17:45towards
17:46how's it going
17:46oh
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
17:53it's transitional
17:55why are you there
17:58that'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
18:06i'm shocked i have to remind you of that
18:08i know it's not my funeral
18:09but uh
18:10mom
18:11loved
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 tragedy
18:25okay
18:25hi
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
18:35okay let's bring in
18:36the mom of salome
18:37hold that thought
18:38mom in south pacific
18:40copy that
18:41it'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
18:48run q14
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
19:19i get it
19:19it's
19:19you're transfixed
19:20you don't like it
19:21i get it
19:22i know
19:22it's too much
19:23it was just an idea
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 winsable
19:32you'll recognize it
19:33it's one of mom's favorites
19:35uh number six
19:38number six
19:39going
19:51seriously
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
20:07okay i don't know what i'm doing
20:08i mean how would i
20:09hey hey hey take a breath
20:10take a breath
20:11hey hey
20:12clearly i know nothing
20:13listen maybe maybe
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
20:24nope
20:24it's gotta have an entrance
20:25sorry sorry
20:26this
20:26this is the theater
20:27that mom built
20:28with dad
20:29and it's her last
20:30entrance and it's gotta be
20:31a big entrance
20:32okay q3
20:55what the fuck
21:00okay
21:03i don't know what i was thinking
21:04i'm sorry
21:05i just i'm sacrificing
21:06everything 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 know
21:19i know you know
21:21it's gonna be great
21:22yeah
21:23hey
21:23just the fact that it's here
21:26in our theater
21:27of course i know
21:28you're right
21:28it's your gift to her
21:29yeah
21:30thanks john
21:31you're right
21:32um
21:34let's lose the fog machine
21:35random
21:36that's a mistake
21:45thanks for coming
21:52you have the house
21:56house up
22:06richard
22:06richard
22:08here i am
22:10how 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 sweet
22:27hi sweet
22:28hi everyone
22:45it means so much
22:46looking 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
22:54of my mother
22:56ethel b
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
23:16i'm sorry
23:16you okay
23:21where were you
23:24friend to all
23:25and grand dam
23:26of this
23:27our
23:28our 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
23:47on this stage
23:49with linus there
23:51as her gentleman caller
23:54okay
23:54i think i've got it
23:55i'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
24:06to 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 for 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
24:55were 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
25:05when he must decide
25:06whether to live
25:07with human beings
25:08or not
25:09be a fool
25:10among fools
25:10or a fool alone
25:13as for me
25:16i'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 tell you about
25:39oh my god
25:40what's your sign
25:41what's your sign
25:42just one thing i have
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
25:50no i mean
25:50you are
25:51no he's richard dean
25:52you idiot
25:52he's huge
25:54oh you know
25:54she's huge
25:55come on love
25:55would you sign something
25:56please
25:57of course
25:59shut up
26:01it's nice
26:05put 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
26:25one day
26:25your dreams i hope so
26:27i promise
26:29love always
26:30i carry you in my heart
26:33i've got out of room
26:35and 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
26:47through a storm
26:50hold your head
26:52up high
26:53and don't
26:56be afraid
26:56of the dark
26:59at the end
27:00of the storm
27:02is a golden sky
27:05and 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
27:31richard are you there
27:32yes i am
27:32here's the deal
27:34they are willing to have you back at lierra
27:36but you need to consent
27:37to a psychological evaluation
27:39and two weeks of anchor management training
27:42yes
27:43i'll have to think about it
27:45i'll call you back
27:47you'll never
27:50walk
27:53alone
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
28:18are made on
28:19and our little life
28:20is rounded
28:21with a sleep
28:25shakespeare's tempest
28:26his last play
28:29and 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 to explain
28:44what it was like
28:45growing up in an atmosphere
28:46of creativity
28:47and free expression
28:48and the impact that 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 algebra teacher
29:02and a brilliant masha
29:04in the seagull
29:06howard frazier
29:07who when the lights went out
29:09on our morning becomes
29:10electra
29:11he ran out to his truck
29:12hooked up our electrical system
29:13and in five minutes
29:15presto
29:16the lights were back on
29:17he knew how important it was
29:18to keep the lights on
29:20in this theater
29:21at that moment
29:21it was the most important thing
29:22in his life
29:23and it still is
29:25important
29:26because the millersburg festival theater
29:28was not just my mother's home
29:30it was
29:31and is
29:32the soul
29:33of this town
29:35sadly
29:36i must report
29:38that
29:39because of financial
29:40pressures
29:41and
29:42misguided
29:43programming
29:44choices
29:45this theater
29:46is in trouble
29:48it might even close
29:50that's right
29:51but we are not
29:53going to let
29:54that happen
29:55are we
29:56no
29:59i'm coming home
30:00to millersburg
30:02i'm coming home
30:04and i swear to you
30:06that together
30:07i will restore
30:10the soul
30:11of this town
30:13by producing
30:14and directing
30:15and maybe starring in
30:17the greatest production
30:18this country
30:19has ever seen
30:20of a true
30:21american classic
30:23thornton wilders
30:38this is mom's funeral
30:41right
30:41no
30:42not anymore
30:43it's the richard bian show
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