Programs

"Laughing Matters" is a one-hour non-stop medley of physical comedy featuring two madcap men with rubber bodies, elastic faces, amazing sleight of word, irrelevant humor and incredible illusions: stairs, escalators, revolving elbows and multiplying noses. Featuring the most acclaimed ane requested Gould & Stearns comic work: "Loose Ends," comic illusions and physical manipulations; "Howdy Buckaroo," the mechanical cowboy; "Whaling Days"; animal impersonations; plus stories, songs, guitar, ragtime ukulele, and soulful concertina. It's "a perfect gem of a performance that left the audience laughing and crying and begging for more!" says one reviewer

"Fee Fie Fo Fun!" is Gould & Stearns's classic improvisation and audience involvement piece - a roguishly irreverent retelling. The basic plot is there, but the Giant is Jack's father, the hen is a goose in a tutu, and there's usually a chainsaw to cut the beanstalk down. Children love the show, but their parents and teachers insist they love it more!Audience members of all ages laugh as the acclaimed comedy team Gould & Stearns combines dialogue, slapstick, mime, and song in retelling this favorite story. Stephen Stearns portrays both Jack and Jack's mother, while Peter Gould becomes the Giant, the Goose with the golden eggs, and the Beanstalk. The Beanstalk wears an emerald green sports jacket, a forest green felt hat, and lime green and turquoise striped pants. Jack asks the Beanstalk before attempting to climb: "Do you have insurance?"

"Simple Gifts" takes a typically-hilarious Gould & Stearns look at winter holiday traditions both ancient and modern. In this fast-paced one-hour show, we find Gould & Stearns, two touring performers, passing a lonely December night on the road, far from home and family, in yet another cheap motel.
With snow piling up outside, Gould & Stearns find sleep hard to come by. The two while away the hours, the two ask questions and act out the answers: Why have people had a celebration at this time of year, even before Christmas and Hanukkah? Why is there so much darkness, and so little light? What is the real story of Hanukkah? What really happened on that Christmas Eve nearly two thousand years ago? Why do so many catalogs come in the mail?
"Simple Gifts" is a lively, thought-provoking family entertainment, including all original Gould & Stearns stories, physical comedy, and songs.

"Secrets" Gould&Stearns step out of their stage characters in order to tell students true stories about their own childhoods. There is a definite purpose to this. In grade school and jr. high both Peter and Stephen struggled with learning and physical disabilities. What is really important is that they kept these disabilities a SECRET. They did not ask for help from anyone. They thought that by keeping these "handicaps" a secret, they would go away. They thought that no one else would notice! But, of course, everyone else did notice. It's hard to hide stuttering (Peter) and an overweight body (Stephen). Stephen did better at hiding his dyslexia. But he paid a terrible price. He wasted five years of learning until teachers finally discovered that he couldn't read at the end of his fifth grade year. Through "Secrets", Peter and Stephen inspire children to make good choices, to seek out help when it is appropriate and to stop the cycle of teasing and abuse which always accompanies people who are "different", people who are struggling with physical, mental and emotional problems.

"A Peasant of El Salvador," is the riveting, funny and heart warming story of a hill farmer and his family during the heated civil war in El Salvador during the 1980's. It teaches empathy, tolerance and much about world politics, ethnic attitudes and the relationship between hunger and world economics. It is a must for any well educated High School and College student. It has been presented at every major University is the United States, from Harvard to UCLA.
"A Peasant of El Salvador," has toured worldwide since 1981. "Peasant" won the 1985 Denver Global Justice and Peace Award and the 1996 Queens College Chaney, Goodman, Schwerner Humanitarian Award for "making the world a better place to be."
"Magnificent and moving" - Pete Seeger
"An excellent and very moving means of education" - Julie Christie
"Outright and unashamed political theatre" - BOSTON GLOBE
"Riveting two man drama. Bare-bones brilliant theatre" - NEW AGE MAGAZINE
More than 40 professional, college and high school theatre companies have produced their own versions of "Peasant" - including a version staged by a company in Johannesburg, South Africa, and award-winning versions at the Edinburgh Festival, Scotland and the Vancouver (BC) High School Play Competition.