Crime! Betrayal! Laughter! That’s right, the melodrama “The Shame of Tombstone” is premiering at the High Street Arts Center in Moorpark and it’s sure to make you scream, cheer, and laugh all in one night. The melodrama was originally written by Tim Kelly as a way to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the town of Tombstone, Ariz. it’s now being premiered here in Moorpark for the first time since 1987.
Rick Pratt brings us this production with a lot of confidence in his cast and plenty of enthusiasm for the art of melodrama. “It’s a very different kind of theatre,” said Pratt, who really appreciates melodrama for the level of creative freedom that accompanies it. “I want to make it relevant for today,” he said.
Pratt was the musical director for “True Love Ways-The Legend of Sleeping Beauty,” which was another melodrama that premiered at the Arts Center. He faces additional challenges in being the director, but he enjoys it all the same.
The first play that Pratt ever saw at High Street was actually “The Shame of Tombstone,”-and this was back when the Arts Center was known as Magnificent Moorpark Melodrama & Vaudeville Co.-so when asked why he took on this production, the obvious answer was: “Who better?” Some of the actors in this production even performed in the previous one, according to Pratt, with some even taking on the same roles.
The melodrama has been in preparation for about seven weeks and the cast and crew are feeling anxious as the show begins, but also confident that it will be a hit. “It’s one of the most unexpectedly funny nights you will have,” said Pratt, “This is not your grandfather’s melodrama…it’s not even your father’s. It’s really something special.”
It is indeed a very special play to experience. The opening night for this wacky and vivacious play was greeted with an energetic crowd that was more than pleased to be completely involved in the performance. The actors were spectacular in being hilariously over-the-top and invested in their roles, while keeping the audience involved at the same time.
This melodrama succeeds in its ability to catch the audience by surprise. Each scene is exceptionally quirky and random enough to keep the audience guessing about what could happen next. It’s a very enjoyable play to watch, and its result is a night that you won’t soon forget.
“The Shame of Tombstone” is premiering at the High Street Arts Center in Moorpark from Aug. 30 until Sept. 22 on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.
