Misfits help out V&T effort with railroad melodrama

The Misfits Theater Group will offer a special railroad-themed melodrama for the Railway Reflections International Art Expo.

Publicist Carol Bauer said the group was approached by artist and Railways organizer Steven Saylor and asked to join the effort.

"We felt very honored," she said. "Now we just want to sell a lot of tickets and make a lot of money for the V&T and call attention to it."

The Misfits offering is one of their trademark old-time melodramas, complete with card girls offering signs saying "Boo," "Yay" and "Hiss," with lots of laughter and an unusual plot.

"The Perils of Pusher or Building the V&T Railroad" will be performed at the Odeon Hall above Chuck's Old West Grill at 65 Pike St. at 7:30 p.m. July 25-26, and again at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 1 and 3 at Piper's Opera House in Virginia City. Tickets are $10.

It was written by James Witherall and directed by Tony Thornburg, and stars Bauer, Erin Copp, Cassandra Copp, Jan Duke, Mark McGyver, Cathylee James, Harriet Pfrenzinger, Dan Rice, Thornburg and Andra Woolman, all Dayton or Virginia City residents.

The play centers on Duke Deadheader, played by McGyver, a railroad man who plots to relieve the simple but honest stationmistress Ruby Roundhouse, played by Copp, of the company's construction funds. Aided by his beautiful but equally nasty accomplice Flora Flagstop, played by James, he burns down the lumber mill of Stanley Studmill, cons Ruby into signing a worthless contract for what Ruby thought were railroad ties and kidnaps Rebecca Roundhouse.

A mysterious Chinese foreman Gan Dee, played by Woolman, the ever-reliable Boxcar Betsy, played by Bauer, and her sister Bullhorn Beulah, played by Duke, challenge Duke and start a hilarious chase scene.

Reservations on a first-call basis and can be made by calling 246-9622.

- Contact reporter Karen Woodmansee at kwoodmansee@nevadaappeal.com or call 881-7351.