20
CURTAIN CALL
JUNE 29-JULY 6, 2022
LIVE THEATER AND MUSICAL
PRODUCTIONS AROUND EASTERN OREGON
Get a laugh at ‘The Ballad of Pinky Brown’
Mini musical can be
seen every Saturday
as part of ‘Get Wild
in Pendleton’
By Jennifer Colton
Go! Magazine
PENDLETON — Summer is
here, and the Wild West street
show has returned to downtown
Pendleton and every Saturday
the heroes will defeat the villain
while entertaining the audience
with comedy, accordions and
action straight out of a 1930s
western.
“It’s vaudeville meets Blazing
Saddles,” actor Chris Dennett
said. “It’s 20 minutes to laugh at
something absurd and have a
really good time.”
This is the second year for
the Main Street Wild West Show,
part of Travel Pendleton’s “Get
Wild in Pendleton” summer
weekends. The 20-minute “mini
musical” was written by Margaret
Mayer and Marcia Brown.
“People should expect a very
funny show with lots of laughing
and lots of silliness,” Mayer said.
In “The Ballad of Pinky Brown,”
characters have blown into
Pendleton — in one case, literally
— and find themselves at Loret-
ta’s saloon for a big poker game.
Among the characters is Miss
Alice, a cowgirl seeking revenge
against Pinky Brown; Marshal
Jack Cooper, trying to cash in on
the bounty for Pinky Brown; and
Cornelius “Pinky” Brown himself,
a notorious con man.
“He’s handsome as the day is
long, crooked as the Snake River
and slicker than a toad’s belly,”
said actor Dutch Meerdink. “Feel
free to boo because that’s part
Jennifer Colton/Go! Magazine
Miss Alice (Carey Varela) confronts Pinky Brown (Dutch Meerdink) in front of Doo Dah (Andi Jones) and Miss Loretta (Doreen Matteson) during a performance of
“The Ballad of Pinky Brown” in downtown Pendleton.
Jennifer Colton/Go! Magazine
Marshal Jack Cooper (Chris Dennett) shows off a reward poster for the
notorious Cornelius “Pinky” Brown during a performance of “The Ballad of
Pinky Brown” in downtown Pendleton.
of the fun. Pinky deserves the
boo.”
As Pinky, Meerdink is one of
three new cast members in this
year’s show. Carey Varela also
joins the cast as “Miss Alice,”
and Andi Jones joins as “Doo
Dah,” an orphan girl with amne-
sia and an accordion.
Jones, who is 8 years old,
said people should come see
the show because it’s not some-
thing they can see every day.
“There aren’t very many girl
accordion players here,” she
said. “If people are walking by,
they should stop because it’s
really funny — and it’s free en-
tertainment.”
In addition to the three new
actors, three cast members
are returning — Mayer as The
Accordion Player, Doreen Mat-
teson as Loretta and Dennett as
Marshal Cooper.
The audience also gets to join
in with the performance.
“In a small venue where you
can interact with people, I’ve en-
joyed that,” Meerdink said. “This
isn’t Shakespeare, it’s just fun.
It’s over the top, it’s silly.”
“The Ballad of Pinky Brown”
plays at 6 p.m. almost every Sat-
urday this summer, just before
the live music. The location is
always on Main Street, but which
block it is on rotates. You can
find the specific location for any
week and the full schedule of
“Get Wild in Pendleton” events at
travelpendleton.com.
“The Ballad of Pinky Brown” is
scheduled for 6 p.m. every Sat-
urday through Sept. 3 except for
July 9, July 30, and Aug. 20.
“People should come see Pin-
ky Brown because they should
support the arts and because
it’s becoming a tradition to come
see a show on a Saturday in the
summer,” Mayer said. “I think
people will really be happy they
came down and supported the
Pendleton Downtown Associa-
tion and Get Wild in Pendleton.”