Dessert theatre planned at Texas State Railroad
BY SHEILAH O'HEANEY

PO Ford and Dan Breen rehearse one of the scenes in the Cherokee Civic Theatre production of "Dirty Work at the Crossroads." The play will be presented at 6:30 p.m. May 12 at the Rusk depot of the Texas State Railroad. PHOTO: SHEILAH O'HEANEY

Have you ever heard someone actually say "Curses - foiled again." Come on down to a special "Dessert and a Show" performance of "Dirty Work At The Crossroads" at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, May 12, at the Rusk Depot of the Texas State Railroad.

Written by Bill Johnson, and directed by Jerry Parker, this comic melodrama has it all - a heroine under siege, a wicked villain, a handsome (but none-too-bright) hero and, of course, railroad tracks. "We've been brainstorming all year with the Texas State Railroad folk on a production at the depot," explains Sheilah O'Heaney, CCT's Board President. "Mark Price really caught our imagination by suggesting a show on a flatbed railcar and that's exactly what we'll be doing. And we'll actually get to tie someone to the tracks!"

"We're trying to create as nostalgic an atmosphere as possible," noted Mr. Parker. "Melodramas were very stylized with cues for the audiences to boo and cheer at all the right moments. We want our audiences to get in the spirit of these old shows - so get ready to boo and hiss the villains."

The cast of "Dirty Work At The Crossroads" features Dan "Eddie" Breen as the evil Munro Murgatroyd and Phyllis Johnson as Ida Rhinegold, his temptress accomplice. Jenni Daniels plays the tried and true Nellie Lovelace with P O Ford as the well-intentioned hero, Adam Oakhart, and Gerald Salzarulo is the faithful sidekick, Mookie Maguggins. Cast in cameo roles are Candy Dominquez as the Widow Lovelace; Sheilah O'Heaney as society matron, Mrs. Upson Asterbilt; Jessica Breen-Ford as the naive Leonie Asterbilt; and Tiffany Hammock as a coquettish French maid. Chelsie Daniels portrays "Little Nell" and Rebecca Star Johnson and Moira O'Heaney Debbs serve as the Cue Card Cuties.

Dessert starts at 6:30 p.m. and the play gets underway at 7 p.m. Tickets for outdoor dessert and "Dirty Work At The Crossroads" are on sale now.

CCT box office hours are 10 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Reservations may also be made by phone at (903) 683-2131. Tickets prices are $12 for adults and $9 for students. Discounts are available for groups of 15 or more.