Butch, Sundance get spoofed

BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUN-BURNT KID, Desert Star Cabaret Theatre, Murray, through March 24 (266-2600); running time: two hours (two intermissions)

MURRAY — This slightly revised revival of Desert Star Theatre's parody about the legendary Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid has them somehow ending up in Murray before planning their alleged escape to South America.

In this spoof, Butch and the Kid (who is called a variety of names — Sunspot, Sun Roof, the Sunshine Boy, etc.) are reluctant heroes instead of outlaws.

On opening weekend, the double-cast ensemble featured Jack Drayton as Butch and T.J. Davis as the Kid. The former has his eye on Dr. Quack, Medicine Woman (played by Mary Parker Williams, who also directs) while Sundance is smitten with playful Etta Place (Liz Christensen), a schoolmarm at Murray High.

The plot — mostly an excuse for Desert Star's topical humor and wry lyrics — has Etta's hard-drinking, slow-on-the-uptake brother Jed (Matt Kohler) losing his copper mine to villainous Deadeye Dawson, owner of the Desert Star Saloon.

Dawson is well played by Justin Berry. His business partner is French chanteuse Floozy De Jour (Kerstin Davis). Entering the fray, after Butch and Sundance attempt to finagle Jed's mine back from Dawson, is the Sheriff, hilariously played by Richy Steadman.

There are several topical asides referring to the future of frontier town Murray, including possibly becoming a center for horseless carriage sales (a young janitor by the name of Larry Miller suggests that might be something he'd be interested in pursuing).

Two of the best bits are Dr. Quack's examining room ("Get up on the table and put your feet in the stirrups," she tells Jed — not a difficult task since there's a beautifully crafted horse's saddle straddling the table), and Sundance and Etta riding around the stage on two-wheeled scooters to the tune of "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head," in a spoof of the 1969 film classic.

The show's closing "olio" revue centers around the theme of "One Hit Wonders" — a handful of quasi-hits and some mostly forgettable songs by entertainers who quickly faded after their 15 minutes of fame.

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