All roads were leading to Remsen where the MMCRU Middle School was presenting a play at 7 p m. in their auditorium. As I looked over the program, I counted 69 names of students that were in this play. Thirty-five were in the cast and the remaining number were backstage helpers. That’s quite a number!
As we were getting out of our vehicle, there was a student ready to hand us the program for this play. Another student welcomed us as we entered the school. Another pointed to the admission stand while another was at the auditorium door. They were good hosts and hostess.
The cast had very different names! Chuck Wagon was the leader of the stranded wagon train. He was assisted by Wild Bill Hiccup (he was called this because he hiccuped a lot!). Candy Kane admired Chuck and there was her cousin, Dulcy. A farmer from back East and his wife, Matilda and Lullaby, his 12 year old daughter were among the stranded people.
Business people in this town called Vinegar Bottle were Cactus Kate who ran the hotel and Mother Rogers who was the editor of the local newspaper with the help of an Indian girl (age 14), Evening Star. The female fighter who wanted law and order in this town was Clementine Splinters with her “baby” brother, Dusty, a spinless rat of a person. Letty was another person stranded in town with these people.
The saloon girls dealing cards were Virginia Hamm and her sister, Glazed Hamm. There always has to be someone who thinks he can con others and Smiling Slade Claggett was this person. He smiled a lot and that bought people to like him! Sue Flay was Claggett’s partner in crime.
Every town should have a school and Vinegar Bottle was no exception. The school teacher was Minerva Springwell who taught Judy, Sally, and three other pupils. Juanita Fandango was the famous celebrity person doing her act at the Sasparilly Saloon. Every celebrity has to have a maid and that was “Cookie”. Most towns have a jack-of-all-trades and Alibi Crabtree was this man. Lieutenant Ample Porridge was the U.S. Army man who answered Clementine Splinters request.
Then we had three outlaws: Straight-Shooting Sam, The Arizona kid, and their female accompanist, Dallas. Judge Pettigrew rode a short circuit along with his wife, Petunia. And, then there were citizens who were for law and order. Also included was a student director .
Now that we know something about these “strange-named” people, it is time to open up the curtain. The scenery was done to perfection! The scene on Main Street included Vinegar Bottle Hotel, a jail of sorts, and the Sasparilly Saloon complete with swinging doors. Off to the side of the Saloon was a cabin belonging to the outlaw gang. It was named Outhouse but house was crossed out and it was Outlaw’s Cabin!
The play begins when another wagon trains’ wheels were broken. Strange thing that other wagon trains had had the same problem and at the same area called Whistling Skull Rock. They were on their way to California to get rich by panning for gold when these broken wheels episode happened. Stranded were Wagon Master Chuck Wagon, Wild Bill Hiccup, Candy, Dulcy, Josiah, Matilda, Lullaby and a few others. Chuck Wagon had passed by Vinegar Bottle many times but never stopped in. This time, with wheels broken, the wagon train had no choice but to wait in this town to get them fixed. Little did they know the trouble this town was having. Mother Rogers (newspaper editor) was on the rampage as the celebrity, Juanita Fandango had been robbed of an expensive necklace by a notorious bandit called “The Snake”. In fact it seemed that anyone that came to Vinegar Bottle reported being robbed. The Snake was thought to be the leader of a gang of outlaws. No one had ever seen his face as he always wore a mask. Mother Rogers was going to do an editorial on how law and order was needed and asked for help from the Army.
Smiling Slade owned the Sasparilly Saloon and now announced he was running for mayor. The women in Vinegar Bottle had no love for him as they just knew he was running a crooked business and certainly didn’t want him for their mayor. He smiled and assured the women that he served only sarsaparilla and didn’t allow poker, dice or wheel-of-fortune at his Saloon. Clementine decided that her “spinless brother”, Dusty should run for mayor. He didn’t want anything to do with this job but she assured him that she would be there for him and forget about going west with a mule to mine gold. Smiling Slade found out that Dusty was running for mayor and wished Dusty the best of luck as he smiled his usual smile.
Did Smiling Slade have anything to do with “The Snake”? Was he “The Snake”? When he found out that celebrity, Juanita was an owner of land that the King of Spain had given to her family years ago, he decided he was going to make sure she never made it to California to claim the land grant. Would he be able to have his outlaws help him with his plans?
Lt. Porridge arrived in Vinegar Bottle and assured the town citizens that he was there to make sure the elections for town mayor were run legally and also to get the bandit who had been responsible for wagon trains’ breakdowns. He told them that “The Snake” would be hanged. Judge Pettigrew was coming and would do the sentencing. By this time, Smiling Slade decided he and his outlaws would have to find new territory.
Were Clementine Splinters and Mother Rogers able to get Vinegar Bottle to be a town to be proud of again? Did Smiling Slade and his outlaws get out of Vinegar Bottle before they were discovered?
The cast students were dressed as people in that time frame would have been dressed. Some of them sported mustaches and one had a bushy beard. They did a good job! And, we cannot forget the students that were backstage. They all had an important job just as well as the cast members.
Those in the cast were Brennen Ball, RJ Krier, Alyvia Olson, Lilly Olson, Trenton Hageman, Katie Merryfield, Gabby Johnson, Lauren Galles, Chloe Alesch, Laiken Bork, Tia Tentinger, Gavin Alesch, Aubrey Dirks, Olivia Jochims, Riley Groves, Joshua Doellinger, Gracie Schroeder, Aleah Lux, Tori Treinen, Tenleigh Porter, Giana Stevens, Katie Haaven, Kaydence Stites, Ella Draper, Garrett Alesch, Brea Nicks, Jagger Becker, Jacob Pick, Ethan Steffen, Kam Bork, Joshua Peterson, Brielle Lux, Destiny Gunsolly, Isabella Loutsch and Annika Juhl.
Stage Crew were Brianna Schuetz, Nolan Carver, Charles Easton, Cooper Loutsch, Mick Schnepf, Rylee Nissen-Teepe, Gracie Todd, Rachel Doellinger and Celia Shea. Host & Hostess were Lukas Peterson, Dylan Stevens, Andrew Peterson, and Kyndell Freeman. Video Recording were Boston Colling, Karsen Galles and Eli Harpenau. Lights & Curtains were Max Schnepf, Rebekah Casson and Ashley Mouser.
Sound Effects & Mics were Eoin Hogg and Cody Schmillen. Hair & Makeup were Raegan Hill, Lexi Gotto, Morgan Rupp, Rylee Smith, Kaiya Hansen-Freeman, Jasper Lahouti, Ava Prescott, Faith Spenner and Nora Sanow.
Admissions were Lukas Peterson, Maddy Anderson, and Jordyn Neddermeyer. Photography was Willow Hageman.
Will Middle School have another play next year? I hope so! You have talent and you showed it!