A fresh blend of standup comedy and variety will come to Bend on Friday, July 22 and Saturday, July 23, when the Old Stone Performing Arts Center will present the first installment of High Desert Hijinks, an unpredictable mixture of mirth, music and mayhem.
The show is the brainchild of a team of local impresarios who call themselves Two Twisted Sisters. Working in conjunction with producers Howard Schor and Dan Cohen, the sisters have promised to bring a distinctive, slightly twisted take on variety to the Old Stone stage.
The first shows will feature renowned comic Sharon Lacey, award winning stand-up Randy Mendez and special musical guests. But the Sisters have promised to deliver the unexpected, which has made producers Schor and Cohen a little nervous. Because of this, the show is recommended for adults only.
Although the Sisters declined to appear in the Cascades A & E office for an interview–they refuse to show their faces in public—they agreed to a brief Q and A session with producers Schor and Cohen
Schor& Cohen: Tell us a little about the performers for the July 22 and 23 show.
Two Twisted Sisters: Well, Sharon Lacey is one funny female. She headlines comedy clubs across the US and Canada. She’s appeared on ABC, Lifetime, A&E and has played a slew of festivals throughout the west coast. She’s entertained our troops in Iraq and toured Africa, where she performed in Uganda. Sharon actually speaks two of Uganda’s tribal languages. She’s a good soul, but don’t cross her!
S & C: Will she be speaking Ugandan at the Old Stone show?
TTS: Don’t be smart. We’ll crack you!
S & C: And Randy Mendez?
TTS: Randy is quite a piece of work. Smart, with an edge. The Portland Mercury called him “infinitely charming…with a disarming, ebullient stage presence.” You never know what he’s going to say, except that it will be hilarious.
S & C: What about the other guests?
TTS: We made a clandestine search of your community and discovered a few winners among the general populace. Actually the talent in Bend surprised us. And some of it is quite twisted, which piqued our interest.
S & C: So, comedy and music?
TTS: We already told you that. Were you not paying attention?
S & C: Could you explain what you mean by “mayhem?”
TTS: Over the years we sisters have cultivated a highly refined taste for mayhem. But what exactly we plan, you’ll have to find out for yourselves.
S & C: What about the rest of the program?
TTW: If your audience behaves we may provide a filmed segment or two. But we’re not promising.
S & C: Could you be a little more specific?
TTW: No. But they don’t call us twisted sisters for nothing.
S & C: Anything else you’d like to tell the people in Bend?
TTW: Be in your seats promptly at nine. Or we’ll hurt you.
Although the Two Twisted Sisters insist on privacy, producers Schor and Cohen managed to garner a bit of biographical information. Originally three, the sisters were once renowned throughout Europe and the Americas as impresarios of elite culture. But when an accident resulted in the untimely demise of the “nice” sister, the remaining two withdrew from public life and took residence in a remote corner of East Central Oregon.
After they posted signs around their sprawling property warning of dire consequences to trespassers, locals began referring to them as the “Two Twisted Sisters.” The sisters proudly accepted the moniker. High Desert Hijinks is their first public venture since relocating to the area.
The Old Stone will open its doors both nights at 8:30pm. Wine, beer, and snacks will be available at the Altar Café. The Sisters reiterate that High Desert Hijinks is intended for mature audiences, although they have refused to elaborate on what they mean by that.
www.oldstonebend.com