By CHARLENE PAUL
Moapa Valley Progress
After months of rehearsals, set-building and venue revamping, the Moapa Valley Community Theatre will present “Annie Get Your Gun” on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, March 28-30 at Mack Lyon Middle School auditorium.
“We are so excited to bring community theatre back to Moapa Valley,” Director Kenna Higgins said. “We hope it will bring the community together again and again and again.”
Higgins is the daughter of retired high school teacher Ron Dalley who is no stranger to musical theatre.
“He’s slowing down a bit,” she said of Dalley. “But he worked like crazy on the set design and getting things ready. It was fun to work with him.”
The cast is made up entirely of local talent.
“When they first got together,” Higgins said, “a lot of them didn’t know each other. Now, after months of rehearsals, it’s like a social hour.”
The play is based on the real-life story of Annie Oakley. As the best shot around, Annie was discovered by Colonel Buffalo Bill who persuaded her to join his Wild West Show.
She falls head over heels in love with the star of the show, Frank Butler, but soon edges him out of his star status. After hightailing it off to join a rival show, Frank is pitted against Annie in a final shoot-out. “Annie Get Your Gun” is a testament to female ingenuity.
Mack Lyon Middle School principal Ken Paul said he was excited to have the school hosting the production.
“When Kenna first approached me about using our auditorium, I thought it would be a great opportunity to continue working with the community and the Moapa Valley Arts Council to help us improve our auditorium,” Paul said.
Because the old auditorium is above standards for a typical middle school, the Clark County School District has declined to provide funding for modernizing or upgrading the facility. But renovations and upgrades to the auditorium had to be made in order to stage this play. So members of the community, as well as several local businesses, have pitched in to make it happen.
Tickets are $10 for children 10 and under and seniors 62 and older. Adult tickets are $15. Curtains will open each evening at 7 p.m.
