by Jennifer Janine

Someone Save My Baby, Ruth! (Or Foil That Villain!) is a good old-fashioned laugh-out-loud, family-friendly melodrama that has it all: a maiden in distress, a gallant hero, a villain, and a host of other quirky characters.

When lovely young widow Penny Candy and her baby, Ruth, are taken in by her Aunt Praline, owner of The Sweet Shoppe candy store, little does Penny know both love and danger lie ahead. The villainous Sidney Swindle is determined to buy The Sweet Shoppe as part of his plan to own the property in order to create an amazing tourist destination. With the help of his beautiful, but less than brilliant, cohort in crime, Ada Sourball, the villain sets his evil scheme in motion. The hilarious hijinks have to be seen to be believed, and all will be underscored live by GCT’s own musical director James Mierkey on piano, “silent movie” style! Other characters include Penny’s new love and our hero, police officer Ernest Noble, cooks Farron Heit and Cindy Grade, and clerks Taffy and Toffee and their “dreamy” boyfriends.

With various song and dance olios between scenes that will bring you back to the 1950s, this fun-filled evening is certain to please young and old. In her directorial debut, Jennifer Olsen was “tickled pink” (as you will see, when you arrive at the show) to work with this cast, which includes some real melodramatic types such Leonard Brown, Amanda Raeder, and Janet Jones Johnson. Jennifer’s own husband Josh Olsen plays the dastardly villain, but Jennifer says, “He plays a great villian, but underneath the fedora he’s as soft as a chocolate-covered caramel.”

As always, GCT’s 55th consecutive Summer Melodrama will provide you with free popcorn and offers other tasty treats at our full-service saloon and bar. Come on out…Boo, Hiss, and Cheer with us. The entire family will love this tasty theatrical treat!

Opportunities to join in on the fun will be at the Golden Chain Theatre in Oakhurst, CA from July 1-24, Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. Doors open one hour before. Admission is $13 for children under 12, $15 for seniors, and $18 for general admission. Order tickets at www.goldenchaintheatre.org or by calling (559) 760-8523 with credit card information. For more information, call (559) 683-7112 Tuesdays or Thursdays between 10 a.m.—2 p.m.

Check out more theatre reviews & other local entertainment articles in our Arts & Entertainment section. And if you love theatre don’t miss out on Mysteryrat’s Maze Podcast where you can hear local actors bring to life mystery short stories and first chapters!