By Zach Dunkin
Jeff Stockberger and Eddie Curry have shared the stage with each other for nearly three decades, and there are times when they can read each other’s minds. And that, said Stockberger, is usually a good thing.
“Although sometimes it can get us in a bit of trouble,” Stockberger said.
During the last few weeks, the two funnymen have been doing their best to avoid trouble by getting all of the breaking out in laughter eliminated as they rehearse for the two-man show “Greater Tuna” at the Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre. As they traded lines for the upcoming show, Dec. 28 through Jan. 28, they couldn’t help but crack each other up.
“We figure during rehearsals is the best time to get all of our laughs out before we are in front of an audience,” said Stockberger, who is also directing the show. “Of course, during the run of the show we will still try to crack each other up. We just do our best not to laugh on stage, not always successfully. But I think that’s one of the aspects of comedies featuring me and Eddie is that our audiences have come to expect that anything could happen on any given night.”
The northwest side Indy dinner theater last presented “Greater Tuna” in 2004. “Greater Tuna” is a satire-filled comedy set in the fictional town of Tuna, Texas, the third-smallest town in the state. Through Stockberger and Curry, the audience gets a hilarious glimpse of small-town life in the South as the two actors portray 20 eccentric characters of both genders and various ages.
“The show isn’t about sets or lights or big production numbers. It’s about the people of the town,” Stockberger said. “Making those people interesting and funny, and having the audience care about those people, are the keys to the show’s success.
“And remembering all of our lines.”
For reservations, visit beefandboards.com.
