The signs on the wall of Judge Roy Bean’s saloon/courtroom warn against behavior that is bound to rile the judge: No fightin’. No spittin’ on the floor. No cussin’.
The biggest no-no of all: No shooting on Lily Langtry Day.
Those are the rules in Langtry, Texas, a railroad town where Judge Roy Bean’s word is the law, and the premise for Heartland Community Theater’s fall comedy, “West of Pecos.”
On trial is Orin Powers, who not only broke the “No shooting on Lily Langtry Day” rule, but also shot two holes in the posters of the singer that the judge put up around town. In his defense, Orin only hit the photo of Lily in the kneecaps and he was aiming for Wild Man Jack, who stole Orin’s horse. But as Orin admits, he’s not a very good shot.
Judge Roy Bean was a notorious real Western figure who claimed to be “the only law west of the Pecos,” the river that was the dividing line between East and West Texas. The judge, played by Joe Trogden, was an ardent fan of Lily Langtry, who he never met, but named his saloon, the “Jersey Lily” after.
At the end of Act 1 of Tim Kelly’s play, Lily, played by Claire Crittendon, arrives in Langtry to plead for clemency for Orin, who the judge is bent on hanging.
But by the second act, Lily is caught up in her own melodrama with Squire Peutry, who threatens to foreclose on Lily’s grandmother’s cottage if Lily doesn’t agree to marry him. Julia Klinefelter of Urich plays Lily’s grandmother. Von Schmidt, who is also the play’s director, is the evil squire.
Mike Klinefelter plays Spurs, an outlaw that hangs around Judge Roy Bean’s saloon. Sam French is a ranger who maintains order with a shotgun. Kate French plays Orin’s mother, who hires Socrates Fogg (David Scott) to defend her son, played by Chris Smith.
Von Schmidt said the idea to stage the western-themed comedy originated with Clell Stephenson several years ago. Then the pandemic hit, preventing staging the play, which has a large cast. Clell has passed on, Von said, but Linda Freese suggested to Von that they take it on.
Aubrey Springer, a 10th grader at CHS, plays Orin’s girlfriend, Zeralda. Elaine Von Spreckelsen as Mrs. Fogg is suitable outraged on her husband’s behalf by Judge Roy Bean’s habit of charging people who disagree with him with contempt of court.
Sharon Trogden plays Snow Feather, who serves sarsaparilla to customers, including townsfolk played by Molly Houk and Susie Hill, and train travelers Ruby Huisman and Linda Phillips. The two find themselves in the Jersey Lily saloon, mistaking it for the station waiting room.
Judge Roy Bean actually built his saloon illegally next to the railroad tracks in Langtry in 1882. With a 1879 Revised Statutes of Texas for reference and a Smith and Wesson for a gavel, he set up his bench in the saloon and dispensed frontier justice. A justice of the peace, he usually sentenced malfeasants to pay a monetary fine, equal to the amount of cash they had on them, which went into the judge’s pocket. Rob Hills plays the judge’s adopted son in the play.
Many of the references in the play to Judge Bean’s idea of justice are true. Tourists can visit the Judge Roy Bean Visitor’s Center in Langtry, where a Texas Historical Marker commemorates Bean as “The Only Law West of the Pecos.”
Western fans of all ages will enjoy the melodrama of “West of Pecos,” on stage at the Heartland Community Theatre on Sept 15 and 16 at 7 p.m. and a 2 p.m. matinee on Sept 17. Tickets are $12.50 and are available at RE/MAX Truman Lake and at the door.
There is also a Sept. 23 evening dinner theater, featuring “coyote stew” like that served in the Jersey Lily, (but not made with coyote.) Tickets for dinner and the show are $30.
Heartland Community Theatre is located at 108 W. Washington, just off the northwest corner of the Clinton Square.
For more information, call 660-351-5288 or go to heartlandcommunitytheatreofcli.godaddysites.com.
