My History in Theater: Star of Justice

I was in the very first two years of the Outlaw Trail Festival.  Both years we portrayed "Star of Justice" with a few changes.  The first year I sang the cows and sheep song, but the second year this was a women's song, and I sang the hat song.  The first year I was a "good guy" and the second year I portrayed two parts, an outlaw, Bob Meeks, and a towns person.  These pictures are from the Vernal Express the second year.

That is me behind the fire with a mustache

Jake (Phil Walton) and Sadie's (Karen Bullock's) hands

Sheriff Pope and Kate (Dennis Hatch and Marci Dyck)

 My recording of their song, at least as I remember it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyzSzZ78Duo

That's me again on the right of the square as we sing "Star of Justice"

Chris Mikesell as Butch Cassidy

 The second year I was in charge of the fires.  I had to light the campfire.  It had chemicals to become a big fire quickly.  We also had a blanket in a bucket of water for the end of the scene and to douse the fire.  I Was also in charge of lighting the torches for the mob, lynching scene.
The show was directed by Nels Carlson.  http://whilhelmsthoughts.blogspot.com/2011/05/nels-carlson.html It was written by Sheila Wheeler and music by Wayne and Julie Millet.  The executive director was Alta Winward

 I had a couple of important parts.  As I town person I had a fight with Doug Griffin, blaming him for taking my hat.  Right after the fight I sang the song, "A Man Without a Hat."  I use to be so winded from the fight, the singing would give me a head ache.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvnTB7zCfnQ (A Man Without a Hat)
My other important part was holding the horses for the bank robbery, and singing "Brother's Keeper" around the camp fire as we schemed.

It was a fun outdoor production.  We had guns, and learned the hard way, blanks are not totally safe.  We had horses and wagons.  I was never one for riding horses, but I did for the theater.  I rode quite a bit getting use to the horse.  Chris Piner, who played Sundance, talked about making the horses go fast with a good kick with the spurs.  It was a scene where he and Butch robbed the Montpelier Bank.  I held the horses for them while they went in. They come out for our get-away.  I used the spurs.  I did this only once, because I almost fell off the horse.  My horse would follow theirs going fast anyway.