Palmer Elks presents annual melodrama one more weekend

What would you have if you had a bad guy, along with his two cohorts, a hero and heroine, three old widow sisters, and a not-too-clever Sheriff? You would have one of the funniest melodramas ever to hit the Valley.

This year's Palmer Elks melodrama performance takes place in Eska, Alaska in the early 1800s. Daft Alvin (Rich Mastriano), is a not-too-bright bad guy and Spiney (Jim Deming), the clever bad guy teaming up with Horace Horsefat, (Kent Harris), the criminal mastermind behind the scam. It seems that the railroad wants to build a spur through Eska to Nome along the banks of Eska Creek. This is where Pastor Pat Pasternack (Steve VanSant), crimefighter of the cloth, and our heroine Mary (Charm Mastriano), the shrewd manager of house of widows, try to spoil Horsefat's plans.

In pops the not-too-clever sheriff (Josh Moroney), along with the three widowed sisters who live in the Hotel. June (Kristi VanSant), the clever, forceful sister, Aunt May (Amanda Whaley), the naive one not to mention the easiest mark in the west, and April (Diane Pillars), the spinster sister. But we have a little twist in our story, another bad guy? That's right, Mr. Burlington Northern (Kyle VanSant) claim jumper extraordinaire is also plotting to get the land for himself.

The Great Alaska Railroad Scam or "If Aunt May Leaves, Who'll Weed the Tunias?" is written by Douglas Kotwica and tailor-made by our very own cast. We performed on March 21 and March 22, and we perform tonight and tomorrow only.

The Palmer Elks melodramas got started 23 years ago. In 1980, Midge Deming, the wife of member/performer Jim Deming, directed the first melodrama for the Palmer Elks. She thought that come March, we all could use a little laughter. Little did she know it would become a yearly event. Deming stayed on as the director for more than half of the performances before she passed on. We had many great directors step in to try and fill Deming's shoes before I (Lorrie Harris) stepped up to the plate. This performance marks my seventh year.

The Elks had performed every year until 1996, when the Elks sold their lodge in Palmer and moved to their present location off of Bogard Road. Without a stage or room to set up, the cast put its costumes and makeup in storage. In 2000, Dona Corey, the wife of another member, wrote the first melodrama that was performed in our new lodge.

We have all enjoyed putting on our productions over the years.

This year, the "Scam" has been subverted and good triumphs over evil.