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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (July 21, 2022)
Melodrama in Astoria ‘Shanghaied’ returns for a 38th year BY M.J. CODY He’s at it again, that dastardly Max Krooke. How dare he kid- nap Eric away from his sweetheart Virginia? Boo and hiss, squeal and stomp. Audience members throw popcorn at the villain. It’s all part of the raucous fun at the musical melodrama, “Shanghaied in Astoria,” now showing on three nights each week through September. Now in its 38th season, “Shang- haied” is one of Astoria’s peren- nial summer events that visitors and locals alike look forward to. Tal- ented local actors relish hamming it up and encouraging audience partic- ipation. Pre-show olio acts entertain with short vaudeville bits that vary between dancers, singers, musicians, magicians, jugglers and comedians. The drama then centers around Eric, who is “shanghaied,” or kidnapped, away from Astoria and his sweet- heart, Virginia, and forced into labor on a ship. The show, created in 1984 under the direction of former Clatsop Com- munity College professor Del Cor- bett, melds Astoria’s early shipping history with humorous nods to its Scandinavian heritage. Astoria was a bustling seaport in the late 19th cen- tury, notorious for its rough-and- tumble character. Astoria was a town overflowing with immigrant workers, the major- ity of whom were men. Bars and houses of ill repute flourished, and unscrupulous ship captains, desper- ate for deckhands, employed the new enterprise of “shanghaiing” unwit- ting males. “I wouldn’t change the origi- nal concept,” Ashley Mundel said of the annual show’s direction. Mundel assumed the Astor Street Opry Com- pany directing helm in 2018 after having acted in the production for 15 years. “As much as I love to act, I really like the process of being in control of the whole show and keeping the product alive for the community,” she said. “I just love burlesque and vaudeville and melodrama.” Audiences seem to love the corn- ball antics, sometimes raunchy, exaggerated by the actors with flair and enthusiasm. Mundel started out as a makeup artist. Her love of dress- ing up is apparent, as the production costumes, created by Patricia Von See Page 9 ‘Shanghaied in Astoria’ Astor Street Opry Company, 129 W. Bond St, Astoria 7 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays through Sept. 10, plus matinee performances on July 24, Aug. 21 and Sept. 4 Admission is $15 to $20. Tickets are available online, by phone or at the door www.asocplay.com From left, actors Miles Hand, Shaylyn Duffy and Elijah S. Wood walk through downtown Astoria in costumes. PRESERVE YESTERDAY INFORM TODAY Four distinctively different museums all housed in historic buildings —for you and your family to explore during your visit. Join Us. EXPERIENCE ASTORIA. CLATSOP COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY INSPIRE FLAVEL HOUSE MUSEUM HERITAGE MUSEUM OREGON FILM MUSEUM UPPERTOWN FIREFIGHTERS MUSEUM TOMORROW ASTORIAMUSEUMS.ORG 8 // COASTWEEKEND.COM @astoriamuseums 503.325.2203 PO BOX 88 ASTORIA OR 97103
