Scandalous fun in Dagger Gulch

Theater

Steve Carr

Lisa Kempthorne and Bennett Kern star in 'The Scoundrel of Dagger Gulch.'

The Scoundrel of Dagger Gulch
Directed by Bob Rini
Freemason Hall Auditorium
Through April 16

When a small group of strangers en route to a small western burg called Dagger Gulch disembark at a quiet train station somewhere in the Midwest, things get a little dicey. Lisa Kempthorne, as Daisy Darling, our plucky heroine high-tailing it back to Dagger Gulch with the letters that exonerate her father from the bank embezzlement charge he has been framed with, radiates the open-faced innocence of a damsel in distress and her over-the-top campiness is pitch perfect.

Also appearing in the cast are Olivia Dee as Daisy’s hard-to-kill mother; Bennett Kern as Preston Goodly, the bookish hero and a kindly, gentle defender of truth and justice; Jason Helfrich as the dastardly Dirk Dagger; and Shelly Presley as Dagger’s involuntary Girl Friday.

The Scoundrel of Dagger Gulch is produced by the Stage Actors Workshop, a non-professional, not-for-profit troupe that welcomes all comers. The show moves briskly and, with a run time south of 75 minutes, recognizes that sometimes in comedy, brevity is key.

This family-friendly two-act melodrama is ideal for kids; it encourages boisterous audience participation and will run Fridays and Saturdays through April 16 at the Freemason Hall Auditorium (525 N. Illinois St.) — a truly grand, they-don’t-build-’em-like-they-used-to theater — at 7:30 p.m. and a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. Kids under 16 are free with a $9 adult admission. Call 317-634-9063 or 317-201-3436 for directions, information or reservations.