The Great Drought of Dry Gulch

Dry Gulch is an ensemble musical comedy featuring eight players. The action takes place on a stage, which is divided into two "sets" - the general store and the saloon.

Mrs. Simpson manages the store and Mr. Simpson manages the saloon. They have come to Dry Gulch hoping to make a better life for their daughter, Lily Mae. But Lily Mae wants to be more than the wife of a respectable man, she dreams of the stage, the music, the audience, and the attention of a special man.

The citizens of Dry Gulch include Perly, the piano player; Missouri Philomena, the cleaning woman; Luke John, the Preacher's son; Jeb, the mysterious stranger; and Red, the wise dance-hall girl.

It's a romp-roaring ride, as the citizens of Dry Gulch entertain. There's lots of singing, dancing, pratfalls, in-jokes, and fun in this character driven comedy.

Featuring four new songs by songwriter Amanda Ball, with music provided on stage by piano player Perly, Dry Gulch will entertain the young and old alike.

The one-act show is approximately one hour in length.

Character descriptions:

Mrs. Simpson - social minded, social climbing, holier than thou shopkeeper. Age 40-50.

Character must dance.

Mr. Simpson - the henpecked husband, who sees the way his wife is, but loves her anyway. Age 40-50.

Lily Mae - the beautiful young daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Simpson. She loves music and wants a different life for herself, but she is hounded by her mother to marry well. Age 20-25.

Character must sing and dance.

Missouri Philomena - older woman, employed by the mercantile, who longs for pretty things (that no one else thinks is pretty), and she's never been the object of any man's affection. Age 30-60.

Character does physical pratfalls.

Perly - piano player in the saloon. He is older, very unkempt, bumbles his words, fumbles around, thinks he's a ladies man, but in reality is too shy to ever go after a woman. Age 30-60.

Character must be excellent piano player. Must sing well. Character does pratfalls.

Red-the slightly older than usual dance hall girl. She is kind, she has seen human nature in all its glory and she judges no one or nothing. She has a mothering instinct, and notices things other people don't. Age 25-40.

Character must sing and dance.

Luke John- young man-the preacher's son. Very wet behind the ears, dresses well, but things are slightly off--pants too short, collar too tight, porkpie hair. Age 25-40.

Jeb- the leading man type, possesses animal magnetism, good looking-the kind where every woman's eye turns to him when he walks in a room. Dark, slender, careful of motion and movement, sharp eyes, self confident, at ease with himself. Age 25-40.