Nickelodeon’s “TV Land” programming has become notorious for showing reruns of old television shows — sitcoms that most young people weren’t even alive to see when the shows originally aired.

Thanks to a stage troupe in Des Moines, television fans no longer need to be a slave to their couch to catch TV classics.

“Reruns — A Live Tribute” is a production of the Thatcher Williams theater company and is now showing at the Vaudeville Mews Theatre, 212 4th St., in Des Moines. Thatcher Williams himself is a producer and actor in the “Reruns” performances.

“It’s a bit hectic, but I get involvement in all aspects of the show. I can make sure each month we are able to spotlight a different actor,” Williams says.

The “Reruns” take television favorites from the ’50s and ’60s, like “The Honeymooners” and “Gilligan’s Island,” and turn them into a live stage performance.

“It made for a really great night,” says Mary Wolf, of Rockford, Ill., who saw February’s performance of “The Honeymooners” while visiting Des Moines.

“The Honeymooners used to be one of my favorites. I haven’t seen the television show for probably about 10 years — it really came alive to me seeing it performed on a stage.”

Each performance is equivalent to one television episode. Similar to watching your favorites on television — one episode may not be enough — audiences are able to come and catch a double feature of the classic presented that night. Wolf said that, along with the excitement of seeing something familiar, seeing reruns performed at the Vaudeville Mews enhanced the experience.

“The theater was very intimate — great for seeing a show that is usually on TV,” Wolf says.

“There were times when I felt like I had jumped into my TV versus sitting in a theater. I think that was a great factor in the show.”

The atmosphere of the Vaudeville Mews is enjoyable to both the audience members and actors of the cast.

“The Mews has a great, small atmosphere — a very one-on-one place to perform,” says actress Judy Blessington of the “Reruns” cast.

Blessington says she really enjoys The Playhouse because of her many experiences there, but also loves performing at the Vaudeville Mews.

“They get a lot of offbeat type of stuff, like the ‘Reruns,’ and have a smaller stage, similar to the M-Shop,” she says.

The production team of the “Reruns” is always looking for new ideas and suggestions of television shows to perform.

Audience members are asked at performances for ideas they would like to see. Some popular suggestions so far have been for “I Love Lucy,” “Get Smart” and “Hogan’s Heroes.”

What: “Reruns — A Live Tribute”

Where: The Vaudeville Mews, 212 4th St., Des Moines

When: 7 p.m. Wednesday

Cost: $7; 2 for $10 with student ID