Playoffs Second Place!
Basil and Dick
written & directed by J. Bailey Burcham
The same old song and dance. The same old thong and pants.
11 Episodes
Original Run: 8 eps, 11/10/18 - 2/16/19
Playoffs Run: 3 eps, 4/20/19 - 5/4/19
Summary: Backstage at a modern vaudeville-style variety show, dancing comedian Basil and drag queen Dick - who has recently adopted the stage name "Richard the Great" - find themselves on the same bill. The two know each other of old, and at first there seems to be no love lost between the two, who trade insults while also largely ignoring Trevor, the insensitive stage manager, who is overly amused by a juggler who gets burned when he accidentally drops his flaming bowling balls on his face. As Basil and Dick bicker, we learn that Basil had been married to a woman - but when Dick asks after her, he tells her that she passed away. Dick softens, as does Basil, who admits that he could never love her the way she deserved, because he truly loved another... Dick. The duo are suddenly tender with one another; they dance together, some old soft shoe they used to do together; it ends with a triumphant tap dance from Basil. Dick gets his call to go on stage. Basil asks if he'll see him after the show, but Dick awkwardly apologizes - he has to leave right after, as Trevor is his ride home. As Dick heads for the stage, the two bid each other a fond and sad adieu, not knowing if they'll see each other again.
Photos
Photos by Jessie Bias
Summary: At the following week's show, Dick is happy to see Basil again, glad he came back. Within minutes the two are sniping at each other, but they catch themselves and back down. They acknowledge that they were always a volatile coupling, but they do seem to want to get back together. They nearly kiss - but Dick suddenly says he's seeing someone else. Basil, abashed, claims he just wanted to get their old act back together, not their relationship. As things get awkward again and Dick prepares to leave, Basil suddenly kisses Dick. Dick, clearly wanting this but unsure, says he'll see Basil at rehearsal. After he leaves, Basil does a celebratory tap dance.
Photos
Photos by David Rodriguez
Summary: Basil breathless arrives for rehearsal with Dick a little late, apologizing profusely. After a complete non-description of their act, Trevor is excited to see it. Basil says how much he's been looking forward to this. The two nearly kiss again - and then Basil opens a window to how troubled their relationship had been when he says, "Choke me." This startles Dick enough to shake them both out of it, and they begin rehearsing their old act. Partway through, Basil start playing the spoons - which is apparently a bridge to far for Dick. "No spoons!" he shouts, "You know what they do to me!" But the real issue is that when Basil up and left all those years ago to find fame and fortune in New York, he said that Dick was an inconsequential nobody who would never amount to anything - something for which Basil has never apologized. Since then, Dick - who pointedly tells Basil to call him Richard - has found someone stable who loves him and has rebuilt his career; he has love, and fans who love his work. And now Basil has just waltzed back in and turned everything upside-down. Trevor interrupts to tell Dick that he's needed to emcee the show. Dick goes on stage, and a deflated Basil, after a moment of desultorily attempting to rehearse a tap dance, leaves the theater.
Photos
Photos by Jax Ball
Summary: Trevor is startled to see Dick out of his drag clothing - and that he's at the theater on a Thursday instead of his usual Saturday performance. Dick says he just needs some time to himself, but then Trevor is even more startled to meet Jimothy, the person Dick's been dating - because she's a woman. And it turns out this "stable" relationship Dick's been talking about is a ballbuster who Dick is lying to on two fronts: she has forced him to swear that he's given up his drag act, and she says she'll kill him if she finds out Basil is back and he hasn't told her.
Photos
Photos by David Haverty
Summary: Basil is rehearsing, excited for his impending rehearsal with Dick - though Trevor reminds him to call Dick "Richard," his current drag name - and the first one in a long line of drag names to actually be acceptable (following such gems as "Jizzney Princess" and "Pam from HR"). Trevor also tells Basil there's a prize now for best act. Basil meets Tilly, a somewhat addled contortionist and singer who flips out when she learns that Basil is Dick's partner, because Dick beat her for the prize last time, and this year, she's determined to win. Basil is then saddened when he received a call from Dick saying he's ill and can't make it to rehearsal - but Jimothy can clearly be heard in the background calling him back to bed.
Photos
Photos by Jessie Bias
Summary: At the next rehearsal, Trevor informs the duo that the theater has hit hard times, financially. They've had to rent out to another production. And if they don't sell out every ticket for the upcoming contest, the theater will have to shut down. Dick wants to sign up for the contest but Basil isn't sure. When left alone, Basil asks Dick where he was last week. Dick lies and claims he was sick, and Basil becomes upset. He knows Dick was with Jimothy. Dick counters that Basil has lied to him and abandoned him in the past. Basil begins to tap dance - angrily. "What do you want? Do you want me to dance for you?" Basil says he'll perform with Dick - but Dick has to show up for every rehearsal, or Basil will walk. Dick agrees - and Basil suddenly gives him a passionate kiss, and says "I love you." After they both take that in for a moment, they promise they'll see each other at rehearsal.
Photos
Photos by Lana Rae Jarvis
Summary: Trevor is jazzed when Basil and Dick - the act that made this theater famous - agree to headline the talent contest. But after he leaves, Dick comes to a realization: if they headline, then Jimothy will find out that he's still doing drag. Basil tells him to forget about Jimothy. Dick is scared, but Basil persists, and Dick is drawn to him. Invigorated and renewed, the two prepare to rehearse the old act.
Photos
Photos by David Rodriguez
Summary: Basil and Dick show up to rehearse, but Dick's wearing dark glasses - hiding a shiner that Jimothy gave him. Trying to get Dick to leave Jimothy, Basil finally, desperately explains why he left all those years ago: while planning on leaving town, his wife had realized that Basil would never leave her for Dick - and that Basil would only truly be happy with Dick - so she committed suicide to set him free. But Basil was too devastated and left town instead. Dick is aghast at this story, and ends up storming out, angrily telling Trevor as he leaves that he's not going to perform in the show after all. "WHAT did you SAY to him?" demands Trevor, telling Basil he's doomed the theater. He storms out, leaving Basil alone...
Photos
Photos by David Rodriguez
Summary: Three weeks later: Basil practices his tap dancing, still willing to help the cabaret stay in business, but without the headliner act of Basil AND Dick, things seem hopeless. But Dick returns, saying he's finally over his self-loathing, and he's ready for sure now to get the act together. Basil and Dick dance together - and share an "I love you" and a kiss. Now it's time to headline that show and save the theater!
Photos
Photos by David Rodriguez
Summary: Basil and Dick perform their number for Trevor, as well as accompanist Pippi and their friend Chunks. Trevor rages that the act is terrible; they can't rely on their old standards to win the contest. Once they go, Basil and Dick look over the list of contestants and realize they have incredibly stiff competition. Suddenly, Jimothy arrives - reducing Dick to a trembling mess, still afraid of her abuse. Jimothy rages that nobody breaks up with her - but Basil stands up to her, more forceful than we've ever seen him. He lets her know in no uncertain terms how much he loves Dick, and that he's not going to let her hurt him. Jimothy leaves, but swears she'll be back. Dick falls into Basil's arms. Their love has never been so strong. Now, for their act...
Photos
Photos by Jessie Bias
Summary: It's the night of the big show, and Trevor is worried. The various acts - including a ventriloquist act involving two humans who have their hands up each other's rears - demand to know why Basil and Dick are headlining; a talent contest shouldn't have headliners - it'll give them a leg up. But Trevor says they're the biggest draw the theater has, and the best bet for making enough money to save the theater from closing. The show goes well, but it doesn't look like the house was full. As Trevor goes off to count the money, Basil gets a visitation from his dead wife, Maggie, who tells him to let go of his guilt; she didn't kill herself because of him, but for her own reasons. She wants him to be happy. He should be with his man. Basil embraces Dick, and they decide that if the theater is doomed, they should leave together, immediately, and never look back. Hand in hand, they leave to face their future together. Moments later, an ecstatic Trevor rushes out, shouting that they made enough money to save the theater. When he can't find Basil or Dick, he realizes that they've left, and salutes them. We end with Basil and Dick's theme song, performed by the entire cast.
Photos
Photos by Nathan Wellman
Cast
| Adam Stern-Rand | Basil (Eps. 1-3 & 5-11) |
| Nick Morganella | Richard the Great (Eps. 1-8) |
| Amir Levi | Dick (Eps. 9-11) |
| J. Bailey Burcham | Trevor (Eps. 1-11) |
| Cj Merriman | Jimothy (Eps. 4-5 & 10) |
| Pam Quinn | Tilly (Ep. 5) |
| Travis Snyder-Eaton | Chunks (Eps. 10-11) |
| Laura Wiley | Pippi (Ep. 10) |
| Milan Levy & Julia Eschenasy | The Psychedelic Sisters (Ep. 11) |
| Megan Gill | Maggie (Ep. 11) |
| Bethany Taylor Baderdeen | Tillamook (Ep. 11) |
| Jewell Valentin | Cornhole (Ep. 11) |
| Tim Kopacz & Jessie Bias | Pete & Squeak (Ep. 11) |
| Haley Schott | Jillian Jasper Jones Jr. III (Ep. 11) |
