Melodrama Presents THE MEDICINE MAN Beginning 3/10

"The Medicine Man" scoots onto the melodrama stage beginning March 10. This hysterically funny farce marks the directing debut of Kitty Balay, well-known for her performances on the PCPA stage and for her teachings of early child music classes up and down the Central Coast with Strawberry Music Together.

"A miserable, worthless piece of desert driftwood, a fork-tongued, lily-livered, puffed-up popinjay-snake oil salesman, card sharp, pickpocket, claim jumper, medicine show man, con man and a number one coward?" Those are a few of the choice words that Aggie (Bree Murphy) uses to describe her husband, Sam Sagamore (George Walker), the hero of the play. It appears that she doesn't think very highly of him and you can't much blame her. Sagamore walked out 10 years ago to get a drink and didn't bother to come back, leaving his wife and daughter, Louise (Bailey Durnin & Kristina Melsheimer ) to fend for themselves. And now, by one of those sheer coincidences that you find only in carefree, happy farces (like those by Shakespeare and Moliere), Sagamore strolls into a desert hotel owned and operated by Aggie. After a hilarious broom-swatting fight, Aggie has just about persuaded Sagamore that he's not welcome, but Louise begs him to stay. In the meantime, Senor Vega (Billy Breed), the richest man in the valley, brings his daughter's chaperone, Inez (Suzy Newman) and his daughter, Isabel (Natasha Harris) to the hotel in search of a doctor to cure the strange malady which has caused Isabel to lose her voice. However, the local doc has just died, so Sagamore decides to use the doctor's bag of tools to cure the girl and gain the reward. Vega, who is nobody's fool, suspects that Sagamore is not the skilled doctor he pretends to be, and he tells Sagamore to cure his daughter or hang from the nearest tree. Complicating Sagamore's plan are the wishes of a cowboy, Luke (Rhett Guter), the ever watchful eye of the local Sheriff (Chuck McLane) and the unwanted advances of Lily (Leah Kolb). Written by David G. Grote,"The Medicine Man" is loosely based on possibly the funniest play ever written, Moliere's "The Doctor in Spite of Himself." Moliere would undoubtedly be delighted to see his play transferred to the American Wild West where it fits as comfortably as a pair of faded blue jeans.

Following "The Medicine Man" give your regards to Broadway with the song, dance and comedy revue, "Unique New York or the Vaudeville that Never Sleeps!" Enjoy a slice of the Big Apple and put yourself in a New York state of mind as you meet some of New York's finest characters. Listen to the sounds of the city and relish in a toe-tapping, tap number showcasing the entire cast as they salute the hustle and bustle of New York City! Co-written by Jim Shine and Jordan Richardson and choreographed by Michael Jenkinsen, this uptown revue marks the directing debut of the Melodrama Maestro, Jordan Richardson. Come put some "badda bing" into your evening when this music and comedy duet opens March 10 and plays through April 24. Performances are Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7pm, Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 4 and 8pm, and Sundays at 6pm. (Regular Melodrama attendees should note the new, earlier showtimes for Saturday performances. On Thursday, March 17 a 2pm matinee will replace the 7pm performance.) The Melodrama's in-house snack bar features great food and drinks served before the show and during intermissions. Tickets are $18 to $22, with discounts available for groups, seniors, students, active military, and children. For more information or to make reservations call the Melodrama Box Office at 805-489-2499. The Great American Melodrama is located on Highway 1 in Oceano, just three miles south of Pismo Beach. The Melodrama has been providing professional family entertainment on the Central Coast since 1975.

 

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