By BOBBIE GREEN
The Progress
John Sadler as Lucky Chance and Kathleen Bartley as Rainbow Trout sing duet of “I’ve Got You Babe” in the VVTG melodrama “Wedding Bell Blues” which opened last Friday at the Mesquite Community Theatre. The play continues on select nights through Mar. 26. PHOTO BY BOBBIE GREEN/The Progress
Can a stolen bottle of Love Potion #9 create a problem or solve one? That seems to be the question at hand, in the “Wedding Bell Blues Melodrama” that opened on Friday night, Mar. 11 at the Mesquite Community Theater.
The entertaining musical melodrama was written by the Virgin Valley Theater Group’s own “Drama Queens,” Susan Kjellsen and Nancy Arnold.
The drama takes place in 1965 and as always, in Lizard, Nevada, set in a fictional Virgin Valley of the past.
The curtains open with a wedding party slowly walking down the aisle and the bride is crying loudly. Like a “Who done it” the audience must find out why.
There are quite a few cast members in this production and they all performed their characters beautifully. The music alone will endear you to the production, “My Guy, Going to the Chapel.”
Sandee Trout plays the colorful tour guide between scenes “Sadie Word” and she has a lot of words to share.
Glen Bjornson is the crafty villain “Slip Shod” making him an unforgettable character. Slip Shod teams up with Mrs. Sippy, portrayed by Joy Craig, to stop the wedding of Paisley Tye to Brighton Early. Spoiled daughter Missy Sippy, (Deb Thomason) wants Brighton for herself.
The irrepressible Mrs. Sippy dominated the stage and her rendition of song “Respect” earned her plenty of adulation, and brought cheers, from the audience.
John Sadler, a veteran actor to the Virgin Valley Theater, brought to life the character of Lucky Chance, a sixties hippy married to an equally impressive Rainbow Trout, played by Kathleen Bartley.
If you have forgotten how groovy the sixties were, they will remind you “How the Virgin Valley got its Groove On.” If you go, pay attention to Lucky as the couple sing their version of “I’ve Got You Babe” He does the Cher hair thing. Groovy Man!
The talented Marie Palmer played two rolls, Madam Rue, owner of the Potion Emporium, and Crystal Ball, owner of the Wedding Shop. Madam Rue’s tantalizing rendition of “The Magic Touch” charmed the audience.
Even intermission was entertaining. The Mesquite Recreation Center “Lifelong Dancers” executed a rousing tap dance to the sixties song “Locomotive.” John Bohecker, the Magic Man, performed a few morsels of magic for the audience.
Intermission on the Saturday, March 19 production will be a bit different. There will be a live and legal civil wedding performed on stage by local marriage officiant Ken Juber. The live wedding is a result of a contest put on by the Virgin Valley Theatre Group as a play promotion.
The Lucky couple is Shelly Donn Allen and David Paul Christensen. No love potion #9 was needed for this union. Eureka Casino Hotel offered the winning couple a one-night stay and a $100 gift certificate to Gregory’s Restaurant as part of the promotion.
You will want to be dressed in your best sixties bellbottoms and beads when you eat the special brownies sold at intermission.
The obligatory donkey that is always present in the town of Lizard was played by Ron Miller. The noisy donkey was named Nibbles and belonged to an old timer and desert prospector Adam Zapple (Bill Wright). They happened into town to conduct business at the bank managed by Slip Shod.
There was plenty of laughter, booing and hissing, especially after the intermission when plot on stage was coming to a head and the audience still couldn’t be sure how it was going to end.
The stage settings were cleverly done eliminated disrupting changing times. The Madam Rue Potion Emporium, The Wedding Shop and the Hotel Lizz’Ard were all on the stage at the same time. Kudos to the set crew!
Jim & Linda Coy were in the audience. This was their first visit to a VVTG production.
“The show was delightful and funny,” said Linda. “We will be back.”
Don’t miss your chance to meet these characters and enjoy two hours of laughter, good oldies music and a chance to ‘hiss’ and ‘boo’ and maybe even a ‘hubba hubba.’
The performances will continue through Saturday, March 26 on Fridays and Saturdays at 7 pm, with a matinee showing on Sunday at 2 pm. Tickets on sale one hour before show time or online at www.mctnv.gov.
