(Above: One Slight Hitch, a wedding-day comedy at the Very Little Theatre, features, left to right, Treyson Sherk, Elizabeth Wilkinson, and Clancy Miller as the ex-boyfriend, the bride, and the groom-to-be; photo by Richard Scheeland)

By Randi Bjornstad

Here’s the plot of One Slight Hitch, provided by Adam Leonard, who is directing the show at The Very Little Theatre: “It’s Courtney’s wedding day, and her mom, Delia, is making sure that everything is perfect. The groom is perfect, the dress is perfect, and the decorations (assuming they arrive) will be perfect. Then, the doorbell rings, and all hell breaks loose.”

Mostly that’s because the person ringing the bell is Courtney’s former boyfriend, who’s just back from a seeking-yourself kind of trip and has no idea what’s transpired since he made himself scarce.

Play writing is just one of Lewis Black’s careers. He’s generally known as a standup comedian — Comedy Central is his longtime television home — along with his other roles as playwright, author, actor, and social critic. His wide-ranging career includes appearances on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, where he puts on a commentary skit called Back is Black.

Despite Black’s frequently hard-hitting delivery on his topics of choice, VLT’s director Leonard says his approach is different in One Slight Hitch.

“What I love about One Slight Hitch is that while Lewis Black’s sharp wit is on display, the show also showcases a softer, more nostalgic side that we may not have known the comedian had,” he said. “Also, at a time where people are feeling increasingly more divided, it’s nice to be doing a show about what brings us together.”

It’s a small cast. Elizabeth Wilkinson takes the role of Courtney, with Tere Tronson and Dave Smith playing her parents.

Eve James and Gabrielle Morse play the sisters of the bride, with Clancy Miller as the fiancé. Treyson Sherk is the ex-boyfriend.

Black actually wrote the play nearly 40 years ago, way back when he thought that might be his career. It had several East Coast performances before being “optioned” for possible production on Broadway, which — as with many plays — for one reason or another never happened.

After that, One Slight Hitch became somewhat forgotten as Black went on to pursue a career in both standup and television comedy. It had its rediscovery upwards of a decade ago in community theaters throughout the country.

The cast of the VLT production is augmented by a technical crew that includes set design by Richard Scheeland and Tim Tendick, and costumes by Sarah Nesslin. Lilith Betty is assistant director.

One Slight Hitch

When: Evening performances at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 17-18, 23-25, 30-31, and Feb. 1; matinees at 2 p.m. on Jan. 19 and 26; opening night tickets include a post-play gala

Where: The Very Little Theatre, 2350 Hilyard St., Eugene

Tickets: $21 adults, $17 students and adults ages 60+ years, available at the box office from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, by telephone at 541-344-7751, or online at TheVLT.com ($1 handling fee added for online orders, $2 for telephone orders)

Detail: 20 assisted-listening devices available on a first-come basis

Tere Tronson and Dave Smith (left and right) play parents Delia and Doc in One Slight Hitch; daughter Courtney, Elizabeth Wilkinson (center) has the role of daughter Courtney; photo by Richard Scheeland