MARY BALDASANO / SPECIAL TO THE PVT The players line up front and center to enjoy a well-deserved round of applause. Advertisement

While the Midnight Redliners entertained the crowd with their down-home gospel and bluegrass songs Saturday night at the Wild West Extravaganza, the actors for the melodrama prepared for their roles.

It was really a treat to hear the banjo played so well for songs like "Lord Have Mercy," "Someday We'll Meet Again" and "Rocky Top."

Two characters of note listening to the music were Boomtown Deputy Sheriff Doc (also town doctor), and Gambler Dan. Both dressed in period apparel and would have seemed right at home on the sidewalk of any old western town. Gambler Dan also made you recall the Mexican banditos of old with his ammo bandoliers criss-crossing his chest.

Ticket holders lined up for the dinner and grabbed a seat in preparation for the start of the melodrama, "How the West was Dun," or, "Left High and Dry in Low Humidity Chasm," (aka Dry Gulch). The play opened with the devious banker and telegraph operator, Rich Coldheart, portrayed by Jesse Vick, standing with the Widow Cracker (Suzy Davis) and Polly Wanda Cracker (Hailey Forrev), discussing the contract signed by the late Mr. Cracker.

The contract required that if the mortgage on the farm was not paid in full by a specified date, one of the Cracker daughters would have to marry Coldheart, and the ranch would become his.

Especially important, since he received a telegram stating the railroad would be coming right through the Crackers' farm, was his desire to marry Polly.

But what is an Old West story without a bank robbery? Enter Calamity Jan (Susan Zink) and the Schizophrenic Kid (Audra Zook -- special kudos for doing a wonderful job), who changed personalities with a change of hats: black, a rowdy western robber, and white, a British do-gooder.

During the robbery Deputy Dudley Doowrong (David Reubin) accidentally entered the bank and ended up arresting the women with Sheriff Wayne John (Brad Childress) who came in behind the deputy. The Sheriff tricked the Kid into changing to her do-good white hat and giving up immediately. They later escaped the jail.

At the Sarsaparilla Saloon, the Widow Cracker, Polly, sister Prunella (Debbie Garland), spinster and secret admirer of Coldheart and his money, and Sarsaparilla Sal came up with a plan to trick Coldheart at his own game. While the Sheriff, Deputy, and Cowboy Bob Scratchit (Chris Fairelough), sheriff's helper, chased the escapees, Snydley Dastardley (Carlton McCaslin) and niece Belle Starr (Sabina Statz) arrived in town. Other arrivals included musicians who came to be part of the festival being planned by Bo Best (John Tate), saloon/hotel owner.

Dastardley went on to convince other bad guys, Black Bart (Mark Bonstein), Blacker Bart (Dawn Crocker), Kid Kid (Katie Bonstein), Calamity Jan and the Schitzophrenic Kid, to go on strike because, as bad guys, they were always ending up in jail and not profiting from their efforts.

Finding out later that this wasn't such a good idea, they kidnapped musician April (Alyssia Statz in a great performance), an obnoxious, irritating, and downright offensive young lady, and held her for ransom. The sheriff and other musicians decided that if they just waited, the bad guys would soon bring her back. However, they not only brought her back, they turned themselves in.

In the meantime, the Crackers put their plan into place and announced the wedding of Coldheart to Polly. But their plan was to have Coldheart marry Prunella without his knowledge. His shock upon discovering this after the wedding was hilarious.

Having reformed, the villains were offered a chance to make honest money by pretending to do their bad deeds during the festival and getting paid for it. They jumped at the opportunity.

With the wedding complete and festival soon to be held, the community returned to tranquility.

The play was extremely humorous but much too long (three hours with only one 10-minute break). The parts of Kid Kid and the Lone Stranger (Ian Hoffman), who had very minor and virtually unnecessary roles, could easily have been excised. Likewise, the Town's People (Janet Toy) was unnoticeable at best and would not have been missed.

Interaction with the audience was great, and the actors were great at hamming it up. It will be hard for Shadow Mountain Community Players to come up with a play for next year's event that will top this one. These volunteers and others offer hours of their time to put the melodrama together and are to be applauded for their exceptional efforts.

Supporters included Saddle West, Senior Center, Blue Sky Plumbing, friends and families of the actors, William-Lyon Homes, Sunrise Carpenter, Inc., and Wal-Mart.

Great job, everyone.