By Bradley Moore, Executive Director, New Bern Civic Theatre
Steve Martin is coming to New Bern!
Well, sort of.
We can dream that the legendary funny man might one day stroll into our charming little city by the water, banjo in hand, ready to grace us with his presence. Until that glorious day arrives, we’ll happily settle for the next best thing: a dose of his comedic genius onstage!
New Bern Civic Theatre is kicking off the 2026 season with The Underpants — Steve Martin’s outrageously funny 2002 adaptation that proves even a wardrobe malfunction can change your life.
So, while we may not get Steve Martin in person, we do get his humor, his wit, and his delightfully off-the-wall storytelling. And honestly? That’s still pretty fantastic.
The Underpants is as bold as it is charming. Newly married Louise finds herself growing weary of her uptight, hyper-proper bureaucrat of a husband. But everything changes during the royal parade when she hops onto a bench for a better view and —oops!— a wardrobe mishap sends her bloomers tumbling to her ankles.
Her mortified husband fears the scandal will ruin his career and good name, but strangely, their once-empty spare room is suddenly in high demand. And the newfound interest just might have something to do with —yes— the underpants.
Steve Martin, whose theatrical works like Picasso at the Lapin Agile, Bright Star, and Meteor Shower have delighted audiences around the world, brings us a sharp, hilarious take on instant notoriety and the absurd things people do when swept up in romantic obsession.
As The New York Times puts it, the play is “laugh-out-loud funny” and “an amalgam of comic book and social commentary made out of sex jokes, slamming doors, and sophisticated repartee.” It is surely not to be missed.
Innovative Director Craig Ramey was instrumental in getting The Underpants to the NBCT stage. “I have always been a fan of Steve Martin,” says Ramey. “[I have loved him] from his early work as a stand-up to SNL to movies like The Jerk, Three Amigos, My Blue Heaven, and The Man with Two Brains.” Ramey continues “When I saw that Steve Martin had written a show about underpants, I was immediately intrigued. I found a copy of the script and couldn’t put it down. It’s the first script I’ve ever read that had me actually laughing out loud while I was reading it, which is obviously a great sign. It made me look like a crazy person because I was reading it while on an airplane, but I digress.” When asked about the process thus far, Ramey says “The unique humor and energy of this play has continued for me as we’ve jumped into rehearsals and watching these amazing actors bring [Martin’s] words to life. I can’t wait for everyone in New Bern to see Steve Martin’s work on the stage with this amazing cast and production team.”
New Bern Civic Theatre’s production runs January 30 through February 8 at The Athens Theatre and features a cast of radiant local performers including Keith Boyd, George Crowl, Hannah Gatlin, Wesley Gerard, George Oliver, Justin Saulter, and Julia Silvest. Tickets are available at the NBCT box office, 252.633.0567, or www.newberncivictheatre.org.