'Tied to Tracks' is lots of corny fun

"TIED TO THE TRACKS," Pickleville Playhouse, Garden City, through Sept. 2 (435-946-2918). Running time: 95 minutes (one intermission).

GARDEN CITY — In the second of its summer offerings, "Tied to the Tracks," the Pickleville Playhouse players get a chance to dress up in some funny costumes and sing and dance and put on a show for the neighborhood, not unlike a slice of a 1930s black-and-white cinema.

Gee willickers, Mickey Rooney would be proud.

"Tied to the Tracks" is a musical melodrama, with music by Arne Christiansen and written a generation ago that is updated a bit by the Pickleville players. With a few specially added current references to Taco Bell and the bird flu, the enthusiastic cast has fun with the "plot," which is already cornier than a green field in Iowa.

The show starts out a bit slow, but by the end of the Western farce, villains are booed and heroes cheered.

One of the stars of the show is pianist Aram Arakelyan, who anchors the musical accompaniment, with Bryce Rassmussen on bass and Adam Weston on drums. They are a big part in the production's success. Arakelyan is a 22-year-old world-class pianist, who has competed in the Gina Bachauer competition and is currently studying at Utah State University. Whatever else happens, don't shoot the piano player.

"Tied to the Tracks" is a little brother to Pickleville's other summer production, "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," and suffers slightly by comparison. The ensemble numbers of the melodrama are not as tight and rich; lots of foot-stomping and flailing of arms is disguised as dancing. But it's not meant to be compared, just to be enjoyed.

Derek Davis, though still in high school, is totally at ease onstage and has a wide-eyed Mickey Rooney-type quality as Sheriff Billy Bold. Bodie Brower ends up stealing the show as he plays several characters, most notably Deputy Dill. By the show's end, Davis and Brower are competing to see who is the bigger ham and audience favorite. The honor probably goes to Brower, who plays banjo, kazoo, sings, dances and sells popcorn and pickles at intermission, all without breaking character.

Michael Dubois also does a nice job as the villain, Professor Silas Scavenger. He is perfectly insincere and underhanded and has fun with the role. He also adapted well to the ongoing problem of microphones not working.

Emily Kirschman is the perfect naive heroine, always smiling and "optimistical."

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E-mail: jay@statesman.serv.usu.edu