“My ancestors didn’t come over on the Mayflower, but they met the boat,” said radio personality, movie star, newspaper columnist, author, philanthropist, and part Cherokee, Will Rogers (1879-1835). In 1917, Rogers was a headliner for the Ziegfeld Follies, and in 1922, started a syndicated column that was read in 2,800 newspapers.  His wit, wisdom and understanding of the human condition is often compared to that of Mark Twain.

Classic American Tales (CAT) presents “Will Rogers Tonight!” at the lovely, intimate End of the Road Theater, starring Phil Pizzi as the famous humorist.  When Pizzi performed a shorter version of the play last summer as part of CAT’s “Tales at the Dormer House” series, artistic director and CAT’s founder, Gayle Stahlhuth, knew he had to perform it again. To begin the evening’s entertainment, Mal Knapp will perform a selection from a stand-up comedy routine he’s been working on.  Guests may bring their drink of choice, even alcoholic beverages, and snacks.

Pizzi began his career in broadcasting at WCMC AM/FM in Wildwood in 1977. He co-hosted “Music Plus” on the local original cable TV station, featuring bands and interviews with everyone from William Shatner to Weird Al Yankovic. He appeared in “The Music Man,” “Guys & Dolls,” and “The Odd Couple” with the Sea Isle Players. For East Lynne Theater Company, he performed in “The New York Idea,” “Why Marry?,” “It Pays to Advertise,” “Adventure of the Copper Beeches” and “Adventure of the Specked Band” all directed by Stahlhuth.  Pizzi’s indie films include “The Corner Bar” and “Bittercress.” He produced “Jersey Cape Fishing,” South Jersey’s longest running fishing show, distributed on Comcast Cable to over 2 million households.  In the fall of 2018, he retired as the host of “The Morning Show” on 98.7-FM The Coast, WCZT, the most listened-to radio station in Cape May County.

In 2017, Stahlhuth produced “Will Rogers U.S.A.” starring Tom Byrn, in Cape May.  Originally performed by James Whitmore, she believed the script would be easy to find, since other one-person plays Whitmore performed were published and performed by others.  She was wrong. Finally, she tracked down the widow of the original playwright/producer who gave her permission to produce the play, and agreed to send her a script, if she could find it. She could not. Stahlhuth then reached out to Jennifer Rogers-Etcheverry, Rogers’ great-granddaughter who, much to her surprise, returned her phone call.  She, too, wondered where one might find this script. At the New York Public Library, Stahlhuth found a vinyl record of Whitmore’s performance and with her husband, Lee O’Connor, typed out the script as they listened to it on the turntable in their New York apartment. This record player was a present from Stahlhuth’s parents when she was in high school.

Rogers-Etcheverry was delighted that Stahlhuth was bringing this script to life and appreciated spreading the word about her famous relative. She sent Stahlhuth a gift – 6 bags of almonds from her company, My Husband’s Nuts. In return, Stahlhuth ordered nuts from her to sell nightly at the theater. In 2024 she gave up running the company so she could further promote the legacy of her great-grandfather. Now, she is focused on rebuilding Roger’s 186-acre ranch that the family had donated to the State of California for the creation of The Will Rogers State Historic Park. Due to the fires earlier this year, his home and other iconic buildings are gone.

The nonprofit Classic American Tales started in 2023 with storytelling at the historic Dormer House in Cape May, but quickly expanded to include acting and playwriting workshops, lectures, and performances in other Cape May venues and on the road. CAT intends to produce staged readings and productions of old and new plays, always keeping its mission in mind of “Telling America’s Stories One Tale at a Time.” Visit the company’s website for more information at ClassicAmericanTales.org.