By James V. Horrigan
Staff Writer
The Winslow Homer Auditorium at Scarborough High School is the place to be next weekend for two performances of the Maine Hysterical Society’s annual holiday show to benefit the Scarborough Land Conservation Trust (SCLT).
When the members of SCLT, the 30-year-old, private non-profit organization protecting more than 1,000 acres of land in Maine’s fastest growing town asked Hysterical Society charter members Sunny Day, Emmitt Pickitt and Russell Spurwink, to help out, the three long-time residents of Scarborough were happy to oblige.
Emmitt Pickitt, the trio’s goofy bumpkin, in real life  is Barney Martin, a Scarborough resident who is perhaps familiar to Mainers for his role in many television commercials, including Megabucks, Hannaford’s, AAA, and Handyman Tools.
“Everybody sees me on these commercials and thinks I’m loaded. But these are not national spots, mind you,” Martin said.
Sunny Day is the alter ego of former Scarborough resident Randy Judkins, who when he isn’t on stage with the Maine Hysterical Society, makes a living doing just about anything – provided it’s on a stage.
“I’m a juggler, I’m a magician, a comedian, a unicyclist,” he said. “I’ve never worked a regular job. I’ve been very proud of what I do but also very fortunate that people love what I do.”
Steve Underwood, the man behind Russell Spurwink, writes the songs the trio performs as the Maine Hysterical Society. Underwood created and performed in “Radical Radio,” which had its debut in Maine and did a national tour that included a stint off-Broadway. He is a founder of Good Theater Productions at the St. Lawrence Arts Center in Portland. Underwood has released two CDs of original songs as well.
“I think the people that come down to see the show are going enjoy our songs about Maine, about the lifestyle in Maine, its geographical position and the effects of tourism on Maine,” said Judkins in his Sunny Day character – a 55 year-old phys. ed. teacher who can sing, juggle, perform magic tricks and ride a unicycle.
While there will be plenty of gags and guffaws during the performances, the three characters are serious about the mission of SCLT
Underwood wrote a new song for the occasion, “Nobody’s goin’ to the woods.”
“It’s about ‘nature deficit disorder’ and how people are so fascinated with their widgets and high tech gadgets that they don’t ever take time to go out and look at the trees,” he said.
Over the past 20 years, he said, attendance at U.S. National Parks has dropped by 25 percent, he said. Spurwink, Underwood’s alter ego and the town’s official tree counter, is saddened that people don’t go outdoors as much as they used to.
“We wanted to bring attention to the lovely pieces of nature that are still left in Scarborough, that if we don’t do something about, probably won’t be around much longer. You’ve got to preserve the stuff that’s just a few minutes walk from us,” he said.
Day, wearing a blue sweat-shirt with “Get Physical” printed on it, said people need to exercise more. But he doesn’t really care how they do it.
“You’ve just got to commune with nature, get out there and ride your bike. Go on a hike, identify all the trees and plants in your neighborhood,” Day said.
Spurwink said too often people assume that a patch of woods or undeveloped land is going to remain that way forever.
“Then suddenly there’s a ‘For Sale’ sign, and the next thing you know you’ve got bulldozers and chainsaws. It’s important to set aside land because it’s all going to be developed if it isn’t,” he said.
Pickitt works at Pine Point Beach as a sand spreader. He’s also a part-time clammer worried about the effect that suburban sprawl has on the community.
He sees new development as not only eating up open space, but working to keep people indoors, in front of their computers or televisions.
“A lot of people just don’t go out anymore because there’s so much technology in front of them. You don’t need virtual reality when you can play outside the door,” he said.
When the day’s clams have been dug however, Pickett’s ready to dig potatoes from the couch.
“I put one hand on the Cheez-Its and one hand on the Moxie and watch a ballgame,” he said.
Mention of Maine’s official state drink leads Day to grab one from the refrigerator and hold it up to the light.
“I clean my windows with it, too,” Pickett said. “Works like a charm.”
Day also claimed to put Moxie in his Christmas tree.
“Cause that’s what Maine trees require,” Pickett said. “Give it a pint of Moxie and it will suck it up quicker than water.”
Maine trees actually figure prominently into a performance by the Maine Hysterical Society, such as “If I had a chainsaw,” to the tune of “If I had a hammer.”
Spurwick said another crowd pleaser is called “Why do I have to live in Caribou?” The trio was worried about playing it at a gig at the Caribou Performing Arts Theater a few years ago, but it was a big hit, he said.
“That’s because you eventually get around to telling people that you do want to live in Caribou,” Pickett said.
Their signature song is their first, called “Maine Historical Society,” which Pickett confuses with the Maine Hysterical Society. Another of his songs is “Black Fly,” to the tune of the Beatles song “Blackbird.”
In addition to their standard variety show of original songs and parodies, next week’s benefit performances will include skits and sketches, juggling and probably a few surprises, too, said Tim King, SCLT spokesman.
Performances will begin at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 29 and at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 30. Tickets are $17 for adults, $12 for seniors and children under 12. Family packs of four tickets each are available for $50. Call 885-5883 for tickets.
For more information on the Maine Hysterical Society, or to see videos of previous shows, visit www.mainelyhysterical.org.