Vicki Lawrence: Still hard to forget

CINDY WOOD/independent feature writer

Three words: You … will … laugh.

Many of us remember her for her sidesplitting comedic skits on “The Carol Burnett Show”, or as the wisecracking old biddy Thelma Harper, otherwise known as “Mama”, on “Mama’s Family.”

Simply put, Vicki Lawrence, the fiery redhead who’s excelled in just about every entertainment medium, is hard to forget. In fact, Burnett had a hard time forgetting her after Lawrence, a senior in high school at the time, wrote her a letter inviting her to the “Miss Fireball” contest.

Lawrence included an article written by her hometown paper detailing the uncanny resemblance between herself and Burnett, who at the time was scouting actresses for a role as her kid sister. Burnett showed up at the contest, and Lawrence’s career took off.

She went on to spend 11 humor-filled years with Burnett, earning an Emmy and five nominations along the way. In the early 1970s, Lawrence ventured into the recording industry and scored a gold record with “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia.”

Years later, she created the character of “Mama” and America fell in love with the outrageous, but lovable, Thelma Harper. The show enjoyed tremendous ratings for five years and can still be viewed in syndication in many parts of the country.

In 2002, Lawrence hit the road with her critically acclaimed stage production “Vicki Lawrence and Mama, A Two Woman Show.” She will appear locally at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center on Friday, April 5.

An evening performance has already sold out, but a 2 p.m. show has been added to accommodate those who want to attend the show.

Lawrence said to expect the unexpected when it comes to her show. The first half will give attendees an inside look at “The Carol Burnett Show”, including video and personal stories.

“I went to the Harvard School of Comedy in front of America,” Lawrence said, adding that her upcoming performance is a hodgepodge of entertainment this-and-thats. “The show is a mixture of stand-up comedy, music and my observations about real life.”

During the second half of the show, Lawrence appears as “Mama,” bringing back to life a character that will leave the audience in stitches.

“I think people will get a kick out of the things Mama has an opinion about,” Lawrence said, adding, “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.”

Lawrence is looking forward to her upcoming performance and said the audience will get to see a side of her they may not recognize. “I know people will be pleasantly surprised by a side of Vicki they have never seen,” she said. “I know they’ll be looking forward to Mama, and, for her part, that crazy old gal will be up to the challenge.”

Since she was voted “Most Likely to Succeed” in high school, Lawrence has faced numerous challenges head-on and has enjoyed tremendous success in both her professional and personal life. As a young woman, Lawrence appeared in The Young Americans, which received an Academy Award for Best Documentary.

A staunch defender of women’s rights, Lawrence was named “Person of the Year” by the Coalition of Labor Union Women for her efforts. She later found success as a game show host of “Win, Lose or Draw.”

From 1992-1994, Lawrence would star on her daytime talk show “Vicki!” receiving an Emmy nod during her freshman year on the show. She’s appeared onstage in numerous productions, and is an active fundraiser for a variety of charities. Married in 1974 to the head of CBS make-up, Al Schultz, the couple has two grown children, Courtney and Garrett.

Tickets for “Vicki Lawrence and Mama: A Two Woman Show” are on sale now at the NPAC box office or online at www.npacvw.org.