Cowboy dream: 'Blackjack Bottom'

Paula Nelson is one of those people who appears to have lived her dream.

The Equity actress (paid actress) has acted in professional productions in San Francisco and Seattle, is a published songwriter and has written a musical, "Blackjack Bottom," which will be performed by the Carson Valley Community Theater, with its debut on March 9.

The play, ironically, is about another person's dream.

"It's a story about a cowboy and his dream and the choices he makes while realizing his dream," said Nelson in an interview on Wednesday. "It's fun, it's lively, with lots of music.

Most of the songs in the play were written by Nelson, and all of them are originals.

"There are 13 songs in the show. I wrote all of them except for a couple," said Nelson. "They're all originals - not anything anybody's ever heard before."

Two professional musicians from Reno, Margarita Bryant and Marc Luperini, will perform the songs on a synthesizer and guitar, respectively. Actors, amateur and professional from Minden, Gardneville, Topaz, South Lake Tahoe, Dayton and Reno, will play the 14 parts. Nelson said she has never seen such an enthusiastic thespian group.

"They don't want to go home at the end of rehearsals," she said. "They say, 'Can we go over that number one more time?'"

Part of what makes the rehearsing so fun for the actors and crew is the music itself, described as both country western and "cross-over" music. Nelson began writing the songs before she knew there would ever be a play. The story line came later.

"The songs came over the years and then the story followed the songs," said Nelson. "The songs carried the story forward."

She said the situation takes place in the 1950s.

"It's a story about the values and choices people make in life. There's love, but no sex. The good guys wear the white hats."

The cast is mostly a musical group. The lead roles are as follows:

-- Joel Hannel (Johnny) is a South Lake Tahoe resident who every year and hosts and performs in "Dancing with the Mountains," a John Denver tribute music festival, a fundraiser for the California Windstar Foundation held at Tahoe Valley Campground in South Lake Tahoe.

-- Lisa Thomas (Jessie) resides in Gardnerville, where she works for Douglas County Building Division. She studied voice and dance from Brian and Dorothy Farnon as a child and was a featured vocalist in their shows at Harrah's Tahoe. She was the recipient of the National Choral Award in 1983, which her son Michael, the eldest of three children, also received in June 2006.

-- Tina Robasciotti (Dolly) is appearing in her first acting role since high school. She is a mother, grandmother and wife, who lives in Topaz.

-- Billy Starr (Lou) of Dayton formed his first rock 'n' roll band at the age of 12. Now a member of the California Country Music Association, he has performed with such greats as Hank Williams Jr. and Merle Haggard, and has appeared in the movie "Stand By Your Man," the Tammy Wynette story. He now operates the recording studio Rising Starr Productions where he writes and records his own songs.

-- Tom Cheney (Arnie), a Gardnerville resident, acted in several plays in high school and has sung with various groups over the years, includig the Carson Chamber Chorus in Carson City. He now sing with the Chorus of the Comstock Barbershop Carson City chapter.

Nelson's own grandsons, who have their own rock band in Reno, "The Cushion Theory," have parts in the musical. Justin and Jordan Griggs write their own music. Nelson's husband, Bill Ghidossi, is also involved in the play.

"He's the driver and the prompter and general good guy helper on the show," said Nelson.

Nelson wrote "Blackjack Bottom" and the songs over a period of years, starting about 25 years ago. The musical was first performed by the Tahoe Actors group 22 years ago in Kings Beach, Calif., where Nelson and her two sons Paul and Steve Griggs run North Shore Realty, which they have owned for almost 40 years. Nelson grew up at Tahoe, where her family has been since 1965. She now resides in Lake Wildwood in Northern California.

Nelson, who is also the director of "Blackjack," met the producers Norris and Margaret Edson while working on the play at Kings Beach. Margaret thought of Nelson's play when searching for a production for the theater group to do, and gave her a call.

"I was thrilled that Carson Valley Community Theater wanted to do the play and asked if I would come up and direct it," said Nelson.

The rest was history - the volunteer actors came forward to audition, Carson Valley Inn supplied the venue, and already without much publicity, people are buying tickets.

"They're strictly doing it for the love of theater," Nelson said of the actors, "and they're very enthusiastic. Carson Valley Inn was very receptive to allow the use of their rooms."

The schedule includes Friday and Saturday dinner shows March 9, 10, 23 & 24. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m. and the show starting at 8 p.m. There will be one matinee on March 25 with doors opening at 1:30 p.m. and the show starting at 2 p.m. Refreshments will be available. Seating is limited and tickets may be purchased at the Carson Valley Inn Gift Shop. Tickets are $43 for the dinner shows and $13 for the matinee.

For further information, e-mail clifclip@aol.com or call 782-3670.

Cast

Dolly - Tina Robasciott

Annie - Victoria Grathwohl

Mary - Lucille Rao

Joe - Justin Griggs

Samantha - Chanden Tolbert

Johnny - Joel Hannel

Larry - Al Mellon

Trish - Linda Diego

Dave - Jordan Griggs

Arnie - Tom Cheney

Lou - Billy Starr

Jessie - Lisa Thomas

Stan - Al Mellon

Chapman - Justin Griggs

MUSICIANS

Synthesizer - Margarita Bryant

Guitar - Marc Luperini

PRODUCTION STAFF

Director - Paula Nelson

Producers - Norris & Margaret Edson

Music Arrangements - Norris Edson, Paula Nelson

Choreographer - Jerry Youngblood

Property Manager - Bil Luckey

Crew

Set Design & Construction - Norris Edson, Bil Luckey, Dave Thomas, Paul Verdugo, Tom Cheney

Scenery Painters - Dory Pharris, Kathy Hamill

Wardrobe - Margaret Edson and cast

Publicity - Margaret Edson, Sue Smith, Carson Valley Chamber of Commerce

Programs - Margaret Edson

Makeup - Cast

Stage Crew - Dave Thomas, John Smith, Bil Luckey, Paul Verdugo

Rehearsal Pianists - Linda Sandstrom, Carolyn Lancaster, Nancy Tanabe

Lights - Bil Luckey

Seamstresses - Nancy Tanabe, Cee Cee Brown

Printing - Nagel Business Graphics