You’re Getting Warmer… Warmer… Oops, Colder… Warmer…

The Residents of Muskrat Creek

Esther Field (Lindsey Walker) - elderly schoolmarm, who has taken a vow of silence
Chester Field (Peter Brown) - her other son, misses the old Muskrat Creek
Billy Minor (Ellie Heath) - his bartender with a heart of gold
Alma Grass (Caley Suliak) - Abandoned maid, cleans the whole town
Lady Lou Quigley (Stephanie Wolfe)- Owner of Lady Lou’s Saloon
Myrtle Wordle (Kristi Hanson) - Wealthy Entrepreneur
Justice Forrell (Randy Brososky) - Bounty Hunter
Dr Thaddeus Buckley (Joel Taras) - A Doctor with a shady past
Annabelle (Kelly Turner) - runaway acolyte
Vlad Impala (Breck Wiltshire) - Transylvanian immigrant with a sun allergy
Claude Hopper (Chris Bullough) - Half of the vaudeville team “Claude and Dill”
Dill Pickwell (Jason Hardwick) - Half of the vaudeville team “Claude and Dill”
The Stranger in the Cape (Cody Porter) - A stranger in a cape

The Dead, Missing, or Disappeared Residents of Muskrat Creek.

Sylvester Field (Jason Hardwick) - The town undertaker
Cyrus Lane (Jesse Gervais) - broken hearted widower
Lester Field (Randy Brososky) - Proprietor of Fields, the general store
Cyrus Lane (Jesse Gervais) - Broken hearted widower
Holden Strong (Joel Taras) - Hard working miner
Major Goldie Bullion (Cody Porter) - The Baron, coal miner, owner of Crooked Fang Saloon
Rev. Jebediah (Chris Bullough) - A Reverend.

Director: Jake Tkaczyk
Music: Paul Morgan-Donald
Producer: Nicole Thibault
Synopsis: Jim Cej
Technical Magic: Olivia Bogaard

Act I

It’s the first noon duel, Goldie steps between Dill and Justice and is killed. With his last words, he gives Kirsten a gun and silver bullet for Billy, and calls for him to get him justice.

In Dr Buckley’s office, Myrtle is throwing up from the tainted food she got in the hospital. He gives her a vial to help her. She drinks it before he realises that he gave her the wiring vial. It’s a potentially fatal dose of hand cream.

Claude is recovering from an injury in the mine with a lotion that was prescribed by Dr Buckley. He sees Annabelle. She forgot that she had locked him in a room. He’s hungry. Annabelle is seeking a sense of community, and wonders if he can help her. She thinks a three legged race would be fun. They’ll start one before the next noontime duel. Once people see how much fun they are, they’ll stop having shootouts.

Chester returns to his mother’s home. He tries to get Esther to remember the song they sang when he was a child. He thinks he’s got it bad? Someone tries to kill her! She was a loving mother, and doesn’t know what happened to her. Billy cries out for his mama. He tells her that the Silvers are coming for them! Esther says that they need to unite. She tells them that she loves her sons.

Justice is conflicted, and goes to Calliope. He needs some guidance. A man in a cape with a cane watches from a distance. Justice finds it difficult to find anyone he can trust. She has a gun for Billy. She’s confused, because she think he’s supposed to kill him with it. He said to get justice. Did he mean Justice? He can’t help her with her decision. It’s one that she has to make. But she can hide the silver bullet. Maybe he can use it and intern as the new law in town.

Judge Williams tells Dill that he saw him murder Goldie Bullion. He should arrest the mayor. She made them duel. The stranger in the cape approaches them. He reminds Dill of Vlad Impala. That’s who he is looking for! He’s his nephew.

Chester is crying after his mother told him she loves him. Myrtle crawls in and threatens Esther. Esther thinks that they be able to work together. Myrtle collapses.

Annabelle and Claude visit the doctor. They need some help with their festival idea. They are excited about their idea. Claude pulls Annabelle aside to fine tune their idea. Dr Buckley is intrigued by the idea of a three legged race. He knew someone that was able to participate in a one by themself, but he’s dead. Maybe he can reanimate the person, or just graft on the penis to someone.

Esther, Chester, and Billy gather around the prostate Myrtle. She’s still breathing. Calliope and Justice knock on their door. They tell them that Myrtle knocked herself out with a blunt object. Justice says that it sounds like a valid story. They just came up with it! Since he’s the acting sheriff, he’ll investigate this situation first. Billy says that she collapse when she told her about the Silvers. He knows all about the Silvers and their story. Billy says that they’re coming after the Field. He would need to be the full sheriff to investigate this further. Esther says that she will, if he bands together with the Fields.

Myrtle has crawled back to Dr Buckley’s office. She needs more of that good, sweet lotion. Because of the silver component, she needs a silver projectile first.

Chester interrupts Dill and Judge Williams. He tells them that he needs their advice on how to deal with the Silvers. You know that bullets don’t harm them. The Judge survived an attack of the Silvers as a child! He survived by throwing the candelabra at them. The stranger approaches them. He laughs at their story about the Silvers. The Judge recognises that laugh. He heard it during the Silvers attack. Dill thinks that the stranger’s story sounds more believable than the Judge’s. The stranger demands that they show him a good time.

Annabelle and Claude to see the mayor and Billy to get a festival permit. They give her their pitch with descriptions  of various races. She asks if there is violence involved. Annabelle says they can give the crowd tomatoes to throw at the things they don’t like. Claude thinks there is too much violence in Muskrat Creek. This festival could turn things around. It could help bring new people to town. Esther gives them the permit, but still wants more violence. They leave. Billy is worried about the Silvers coming to town. Billy is in the running for number one son. Billy needs to go to Chester and tell him he’s a little baby. Billy asks about his father. He’s alive but he’’s away. He certainly didn’t die in a gunfight.

Act II

Annabella and Claude go over the final details for the festival. Dill watched them. Claude tells Dill that Annabelle was the one that locked them up, but now they’re friends! Dill can’t get over Claude stabbing him in the leg. People are talking about their festival. Annabelle suggests that Dill and Claude headline the three legged race!

Billy has a few things to tell Chester. When he offers Chester a chair, he is immediately suspicious. Esther sent him over to have a chat with Chester. He can see why Esther told him to tell him that he’s a widdle baby. Chester “slaps” Billy. He’s fair game because he’s the smallest person in the cast. Billy tells him that Esther said that he’s her favourite son.

Justice goes to the Judge to find out how he got away from the Silvers. Justice is suspicious. He heard that The Judge survived because he was hidden from playing hide and seek. Justice calls Barnaby out when he can’t list everything that he gave him when he sent him off for his bounty. He will maintain his disguise, but he will owe him a favour.

Myrtle is delirious from the lotion. When the stranger approaches her, she notices that his eyes are pure silver. He thinks that they can work together. She has connections and money, do you not? He will have to give him all his silver. He says maybe not all of it. He tells her to unlock all the doors in town before midnight.

Calliope needs the ear of the mayor. She puts Calliope a drink. Tell me your secrets, but it’s not like a confessional. Calliope has a past with weapons. Business is a little slow for her with a doctor in town. She is thinking of selling off the weapons in her shed. Maybe the city would be interested in purchasing some mutual use guns. Esther knows about her past with her son. She doesn’t think her death was an accident. She thinks Calliope could do amazing things. She can take the weapons off her hands, but she’ll need her help maybe a couple of times a year. She has strong hands. Calliope didn’t strangle him, she smothered him. That’s the confession that she needed. Calliope needs something in return. There’s something weird going on with Justice. She doesn’t think he’s there for a bounty. He’s there for love. Esther wonders what it would be like to have a female sheriff in town. She just needs some bad things to happen to Justice. How many pillows do you have?

One of the three legged racers has a sprained ankles, so they go see Dr Buckley.. He asks them to take a step for them. They do, and Dill cries out in pain. Annabelle says that without Dill, their festival will fall apart. Dr Buckley fixes Dill. He has to leave, but he promises that he’ll be there for the three legged race.

Chester and Billy continue their fight until Chester storms out.

Dill tells Justice his plans. He can’t have Annabelle around anymore. Claude may have no talent, but he’s HIS no talent. Dill tells Justice that he loves him. He’ll be there for Dill, if Dill will be there for him. If not, he’ll take his bounty.

The stranger visits Billy. He has been a bad, bad boy. Billy was meant to destroy everyone! You know what he needs to do. Don’t fail me, or all of our plans will be for naught.

As Myrtle unlocks the doors around time, Chester catches her. She used to be crafty. What’s all this then? She has been ill, and she has a bit of a fixation. It’s the lotion, isn’t it. The lotion makes her feel alive. Chester needs her help to try and save the town. Won’t you try to save yourself before it’s too late. Say goodbye to the lotion, Myrtle Wordle. Any time you need anything or hear the lotion calling, look for me. She replies that if you ever want to kill your mother, you know where to find me.

Justice visits Annabelle. He needs some coaching. He wants to do a death scene, but he wants to observe so he can learn. In the scene, Annabelle lies down and her lover comes in a smothers her. Annabelle is happy to help. She feels fulfilled for the first time in a long time. She slips into the role, and Justice smothers her. Claude comesin and sees Justice over her body.

Everyone is there for the festival. Esther is quite offended that the sheriff isn’t there. Justice comes in and says that he was investigating the Silvers. Esther thinks that he has done a great job, but she has to give the badge to a new recruit. Since she has dissolved their agreement, Justice isn’t required to fulfil his part of their bargain. He tells the Judge that Esther is under arrest.

Photos by Janna Hove