East Troy High School Drama Club presents ‘Deadwood Dick’ this weekend
By Tracy Ouellette
Editor
The East Troy High School drama students presenting the Tom Taggart play “Deadwood Dick or the Game of Gold” this weekend at the school.
Directed by Deb and Phil Williamson the play is at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 8-9, and 2 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 10.
The play, often called a “Gay ‘90s melodrama,” is set in the Old West, with plenty of heroes and villains fighting for the honor of soft-spoken maidens.
According to the play’s preface, in 1876 a little known writer, Edward L. Wheeler, started turning out dime novels about a Robin Hood of the Black Hills whom he named “Deadwood Dick.” Overnight the character became so popular that the series continued for 15 years and Wheeler gave up only when he had written 64.
Taking the most exciting situations, the more colorful characters and the most amusing dialog from these novels, Tom Taggart includes all the elements that make these stories of days gone by so hilarious – long lost daughters, stolen gold mines, kidnapped heroines and hairbreadth escapes abound.
“It’s a melodrama and they’re having a lot of fun with it,” says director Deb Williamson.
Who’s who
Cast members include: Abe Oxley-Hase as Ned Harris, Tyler Fridley as Wild Bill Hickok, Michael Lois as Blackman Redburn, Emily Prange as Lily Blossom, Emma Chojnacki as Rose Blossom, MaiLei Meyers as Calamity Jane, Shaun Raymond as Judge Nix, Jessi Falk as La Paloma, Sean Canavan as Jethro, Mark Jones as Chet Polecat, Trevor Kent as Sheriff Loveless, Lexi Mitchell as Molly Loveless, Lori Heinemann as Teetotal Tessie, and McKenna Farmer as Piano Annie.
Dance hall girls: Alex Schmieden and Natalie Mengel. Saloon servers and crusaders: Grace Christiansen, Teagan Oxley-Hase and Hannah Buchholtz. Miners and toughs: Michael Benedict, Matt Fox, Jacob Thoreson, Clark Hudac, Jared Pacellin and Jordan Pacellin.
Stage manager: Brooke Bartlett. Crew: Josh Marschler (lights) and Katrina Schell.
