George Washington? Check.
Benjamin Franklin? Check.
John Wayne? Check.
Wait a minute: John Wayne?
Those are just a handful of the characters who take the audience through “A Complete History of America — Abridged.”
The free family-friendly show runs 7 p.m. July 2 and July 3, and 3 p.m. July 4 outside at Liberty’s Commerce Street stage — the stage where Liberty Idol is held.
“It’s kind of an Independence Day celebration in conjunction with the City of Liberty and Liberty Idol,” said actor and co-director David Holland.
The show is also sponsored by Liberty Middle School, where Holland heads up the theater program.
Bringing outdoor theater to Liberty “is a great idea,” Holland said.
“I know how successful free outdoor theater can be both in production quality and in attendance,” he said.
Liberty has the potential for “a great theater community,” he said, adding that if this show goes well he would love to stage Thorton Wilder’s “Our Town” in Liberty.
“A Complete History” is very familiar to Holland, who directed the show at North Greenville University.
“It never really got out of my system,” he said. “As soon as I got the chance to do it somewhere else, I jumped on it.”
The play features a cast of three actors, each taking on multiple roles, as they run through both American history and 20th-century entertainment.
“The Lewis and Clark expedition is done like a vaudeville show, like Abbott and Costello or Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis,” Holland said. “It takes its cues from old comedy, the classics of American entertainment.”
Holland plays Benjamin Franklin, Betsy Ross, Charlton Heston and John Wayne playing “Rock Fury — Super G.I.”
“And a munchkin,” Holland added, laughing.
Cast member Charles Armstrong plays George Washington, Richard Nixon, Hitler and “Dodge Rambler, Boy Buckaroo” — to name just a few.
“It’s a lot of firsts for me,” said Armstrong, a graduate of the Fine Arts Center.
Chris Hecke rounds out the cast.
The play gives its cast a lot of opportunities to improvise and also gives the audience a chance to be a part of the show, Holland said.
He encouraged audiences to prepare questions that they would like the play’s historical figures to answer.
Holland’s favorite part of the show features the founding fathers laying the groundwork for our government.
“They’re discussing what’s going to be in the Bill of Rights and they propose creating a Bill of Wrongs,” Holland said.
Performances will last between 90 minutes and 2 hours, Holland said.
In the event of rain, the show will move to Liberty Middle School.
Audiences are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and picnics to the performances.
Although the show is free, donations towards the actors’ gas costs will be greatly appreciated.
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