Lone Star and Laundry and Bourbon at Cotuit Center for the Arts

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2. Lone Star and Laundry and Bourbon

"Laundry and Bourbon" and "Lone Star," a pair of popular, interlocking one-act comedies by James McLure were written during (and set in) the late '70s.

"Laundry & Bourbon" takes place on the front porch of Roy and Elizabeth's home in small-town Maynard, Texas, on a hot summer afternoon. Elizabeth and her friend Hattie fold laundry, watch TV, sip bourbon and Coke, and gossip about the many open secrets inherent in small-town life. They are joined by the self-righteous Amy Lee, a social climber who can't resist blurting out choice gossip about Roy. While the ensuing conversation is increasingly edged with bitter humor, it reveals Elizabeth's inner strength and her quiet understanding of the turmoil which has beset her husband since his return from Vietnam. Roy is wild — and adulterous — but he needs her.

"Lone Star" is set in the cluttered backyard of the same small town's watering hole. Roy, a brawny, macho, former high-school hero, is back in town after a hitch in Vietnam. He's trying to rejoin the community, but can't stop reminiscing about his glory days. Joined by Ray, his adoring, younger brother, Roy dives into a case of beer while entertaining his brother with stories of his military and amorous adventures. Roy seems to cherish three things above all — his country, his sexy young wife, and his 1959 pink Thunderbird. When Cletis, the vacuous, newlywed son of the local hardware store owner, shows up, Roy's world begins to collapse as indiscretions come to light. Despite this, the good humor of the play never lapses.