On Saturday May 30, a particularly lovely afternoon in Taft, the West Kern Oil Museum hosted the Pine Mountain Community Players presentation of three radio plays, Who’s On First, Boston Blackie and the Fur Trade and the very first episode of Flash Gordon.
Contrary to the old adage that some people have a face for radio, this dovetail crew of old and young are quite the lookers. They performed with much zest with their colorful voices, slapstick sound effects and humorous timing. Each show was as entertaining as the next and in between were short commercials advertising local businesses in campy fashion. With a bit of hope, they’ll return in the fall to put on a rendition of Orson Welles’ War of the Worlds.
As I mentioned before, it was a lovely afternoon. The sun had just begun to set and was shining rather artfully through the trees, spilling onto the area surrounding the museum’s beautiful, outdoor gazebo. There were hardly any disturbances aside from the faint sounds of traffic from the 166.
Taft notables such as the library’s Kathy Edgecomb and Chamber of Commerce president Orchel Krier were among the motley crowd that even included a lone black cat strolling around in the ideal weather.
It was a wonderful way to spend the afternoon in Taft. Entertainment, good people, along with a snack shack, what more could you ask for?
Mountain Community Actors: Bill Fair as Abbott, Dr. Zarkov, Boston Blackie, David Stenstrom as Costello, Lt. Farrady, Ming the merciless, Prince Barin Pam McGee as Janet, Captain, and a Jingle Gal, Daniel Tominaga as the Announcer, Janine Tominaga as Princess Aura and a Jingle Gal
Lee Dunnavent as Zoogi, Thun, Guard, and a Jingle Gal, Wednesday Hobson as Mary, Dale Arden, Peter Gullerud as Harry, Flash Gordon
Mary Main and Kat Fair doing sound effects.