Two-man gang

Story by CASEY RESSLER-Valley Life editor

After the grandeur of The Sound of Music, Valley Performing Arts is trying to tickle the funny bone with the organization's second performance of the 2003-04 season.

Stones in His Pockets is a bittersweet comedy that opens Friday night at Machetanz Theater.

Stones in His Pockets is a relatively new play. It opened in London three years ago and has been well received, having won London's Olivier Award for the best comedy.

Written by Marie Jones, it had a yearlong run on Broadway and is a popular but demanding production for community theater groups such as Valley Performing Arts.

Valley Performing Arts is tackling the project on the heels of its most successful production, The Sound of Music.

Cast-wise, Stones in His Pockets is the exact opposite of The Sound of Music. Whereas that production had an extremely large cast, Stones in His Pockets relies on strong performances from two cast members -- because they are the entire cast.

There are only two actors -- Kevin Sweeney and Paul Schweigert -- who team to play all 13 roles in the story.

Sweeney and Schweigert were recruited for the roles by director Dean Phipps, who pulls it all together.

The sets were designed by Brian Mean, while Bea Adler is handling the costuming for the production.

The story is about Jake and Charlie, the two main characters who are a couple of extras on the set of an American movie being shot in their Irish village.

As the story plays out, the cultures clash and plenty of friction develops between the Irish people and the sometimes crass American filmmakers. Schweigert and Sweeney portray a wide range of characters as the story continues.

During its many runs among community theater groups, the production has always been hailed as a bold and innovative play that captures the attention of audiences through clever character changes. While on Broadway it received rave reviews as well.

Stones in His Pockets opens Friday at the Fred and Sara Machetanz Theater in Wasilla and runs through Nov. 16, with Friday and Saturday performances at 8 p.m. and Sunday matinee shows at 2 p.m. throughout the production's run.

Tickets for Stones in His Pockets are available at the VPA box office (at the theater) and at CARRS TIX outlets, as well as at www.tickets.com. Tickets are $19 for adults and $16 for seniors and youth.