Or he'll go behind the counter and make sodas. One day he got down on the floor and played with a little boy and his fire truck. And he sings and dances with us. The townspeople relish Van Dyke's appearances. Too bad that my brief visit doesn't coincide with one of eight or nine live performances scheduled each year at Van Dyke's theater.
Some productions last up to four weeks.
Last year, when we did Grease , Jerry volunteered for a cameo as a Teen Angel. We never knew what he'd do next on stage. He had us laughing so hard we almost couldn't continue. If only I could stay all afternoon. What we're trying to do here is bring back good memories, to help people feel good.