Grand 1894 Opera House Presents Two-Woman Show Starring Vicki Lawrence on 8/9

Prepare yourself for an entertainment "3-for-all," when Emmy Award-winning comedienne Vicki Lawrence lights up the stage of The Grand 1894 Opera House on Saturday, August 9 at 8 pm. First, the other red-head on "The Carol Burnett Show" steps into the spotlight herself, performing a mixture of music and conversation. Then, she takes the stage as "Mama" - the head of one of TV's most memorably dysfunctional families, complete with sensible shoes and those sharp-toughed opinions. Plus, you'll enjoy side-splitting "out takes" from "Carol Burnett" and "Mama's Family."

Plucked out of total obscurity as a high school senior, Vicki Lawrence went on to become part of the now-legendary cast of the "Carol Burnett Show." "I went to the Harvard School of Comedy in front of America," says Ms. Lawrence of her Burnett Show training. In the seventh season, and hundreds of hilarious sketches later, at the ripe, old age of 24, Vicki created her most endearing character to date, Thelma Harper, or "Mama" as she is better known to her fans. After the Burnett Show, Vicki went on to star in "Mama's Family," which consistently topped the ratings for its entire six-year run of original shows. The multi-talented entertainer is mostly known for her acting and comedic talents, but she also earned a gold record for the 1973 hit, "The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia."

On stage, Ms. Lawrence has appeared in numerous productions, including Send Me No Flowers, No, No Nanette, My Fat Friend, Chapter Two, Twigs, Hello Dolly, Annie Get Your Gun, Live from the Grand Ole Opry, Nunsense 3: and The Vagina Monologues. Her autobiography, Vicki! The True Life Adventures of Miss Fireball, was published in 1995 by Simon and Schuster.

"I think people will get a kick out of the things Mama has an opinion about. We're creating new material with a more modern and cutting edge. Where Mama is concerned, expect the unexpected. There's really nothing she can't do," she says. "I hope people will be pleasantly surprised by a side of Vicki they may never have seen...I know they will be looking forward to Mama, and for her part, that crazy old gal will be up to the challenge." (Caution: may not be suitable for all audiences)

Tickets for The Grand 1894 Opera House appearance of Vicki Lawrence & Mama on August 9 at 8 pm are priced starting at $22. Call for pricing on Box Seats. Special discounts for group and senior tickets may be available. For information about this and other performances scheduled, please contact The Grand's box office at 409.765.1894, 800.821.1894, or visit The Grand's website at www.thegrand.com. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, The Grand 1894 Opera House is located at 2020 Postoffice Street in Galveston's historic downtown Cultural Arts District and is recognized as "The Official Opera House of the State of Texas." All major credit cards accepted.

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