Above: Tom Stolz as his father Don Stolz playing Towser the dog, and Steve Shaffer as Clellan Card playing Axel, at the Old Log Theater during the summer of 1999.

Although the play was brimming with the wild comedy that had characterized the original Axel TV show, the humor was counterbalanced by the tragedies in the lives of the main characters.

When the play opens, Clellan has recently lost two of his three sons in separate accidents: Peter in a military plane crash, and John in an automobile accident. At the end of the first act, Don's young daughter Joannie drowns in Lake Minnetonka. And at the end of the play, Clellan himself dies of cancer.

Another perfect morning at the lake with the sun shining and a whole day of fun ahead!

First, I'll hurry down to the theater and see what the actors are doing, then maybe Peter and Donny will let me ride into Excelsior with them on our bikes. We could stop at the Amusement Park for a ride on the merry-go-round, then head into the Ben Franklin -- I wanna buy a pea shooter. Then I'll come home for lunch before sailing with the Kimball boys. (I hope they don't tip it... the lake looks scary today.) Then hurry downtown with Daddy to the studio. Axel said he'd read Donny's joke on TV today.

A perfect day! Mom even has sweet rolls for breakfast. And look, little Joannie is up already. "Joannie, can you say 'perfect day'? I can't believe how much you can talk. All right, Joannie, I'll give you some of my sweet roll, but first you have to give me a kiss. That was a good one. Bye-bye."

Oh, little Joannie, why didn't I give you your bite of sweet roll? Your kiss is stolen property... and now I can't give it back.

-- Tom Stolz,
from the play program