The Sunshine Boys Tickets

The storyline of the play is based on the aging characters of Willie Clark and Al Lewis, who were once a vaudevillian team best known as "Lewis and Clark". Over the span of forty years, the two characters have not only begun to hate one another, but they have also not spoken to each other off the stage for their final year in the act. Clark is seen as a rather stubborn person who refuses to accept retirement and holds great resentment for Lewis, who seems to be much wiser. Lewis effectively managed to break up the act when he chose to leave show business. The play moves to the present, 1972, when CBS Network has given them the opportunity to come together and perform in a special comedy program. The program requires Clark and Lewis to display their vaudeville act at its peak. Ben, Clark's nephew, persuades him to bring life to one of the old routines for one last time. Most of the humor seen on the stage is derived from the great efforts to get the two characters into one room to rehearse for the show. Here, the audience gets to see the major conflicting opinions the two characters share as they are on the path to reunite. The fact that their shenanigans are at their best when the actual broadcast begins leaves the audience in absolute stitches of laughter.

The writer of The Sunshine Boys, Neil Simon, took his inspiration from two revered burlesque teams. The play takes its inspiration from Smith and Dale, who were totally contrasting to their respective counterparts as seen on the stage and were literally inseparable friends throughout their lives. On the other hand, the backstage hostility that is seen occurring between Clark and Lewis takes its brainwave from the renowned team of Gallagher and Shean, who were once extremely successful artists in the show business yet possessed a great deal of argumentative personalities. Another source of the play is the team of Weber and Fields.
 

The first time that the play was featured to the public was when it premiered on Broadway on December 18th, 1972, at the Broadhurst Theatre. Later, it was shifted to the Shubert Theatre and then went on to being staged at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. The show closed on April 21st, 1974, after 538 sold-out performances, including two major previews. The original production was directed by Alan Arkin, with Emanuel Azenberg as the producer. Sam Levene played the role of Lewis, Jack Albertson played Clark, and Lewis J. Stadlen played Ben. The play received three Tony Award nominations and Jack Alberston won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Performance. In 1975, a movie adaptation was made, with Walter Mathua as Clark and George Burns as Lewis. George Burns won an Oscar Award for Best Supporting Actor. On December 28th, 1997, the prestigious Hallmark Entertainment production of the play was adapted by Neil Simon. This television show featured Woody Allen, Peter Falk, Sarah Jessica Parker, Whoopi Goldberg, Michael McKean, Edie Falco, and Live Schreiber. There were also a total of three German TV programs of the production known as Sonny Boys.

The Sunshine Boys is a remarkable play that will be quite indulging. You can now book tickets and experience a comedic and delightfully captivating theatrical production that will be surely memorable.