Tombstone, Ariz., may have been “The Town Too Tough to Die,” but it wasn’t too tough to be scandalized by “The Masked Canary,” a performer at the Birdcage Theatre.
There she was, a voice like an angel, and there they were, the miners and soldiers who came more to hoot and ogle than to listen. The local upright, uptight matrons wanted the shameful woman run out of town, but they didn’t know who she was.
Oakhurst’s Golden Chain Theatre presents “The Shame of Tombstone,” which opens Aug. 11 and runs through Sept. 23. The play is written by Tim Kelly and directed by Carol Kovach.
Amanda Goodsort (Karah Varner) came west from Boston, where she was once a debutante and a darling of society. But her circumstances changed. She had to earn a living so she could support her infant daughter.
She lives in a splendid home and is assisted by her maid, Fifi (Natalia Travers), who puts on French airs, but tells everyone she’s from Bisbee. One of Amanda’s dear friends is Flora Courtland (Venessa Willard), leader of the ladies who want to rid the town of the Canary.
As the show opens, Little Victoria Goodsort (Brittany Steinberg) is all grown up to be a heroine through and through. She is coming to see her mother, who 
seems to be a revered member of Tombstone proper society. But we know that it is she who dons the mask and sings at the Birdcage. Judge Mortimer Harshley (Devin Faucette) and his (ahem) associate, Peachy Jamm (Julie O’Brien) discover her secret and a blackmail plot is hatched.
Little Victoria arrives, accompanied by Lonely Wolf, an Ivy League-educated scout (Jesse Parr) and Lt. Pete Bogg (William O’Brien), the hero.
Meanwhile, cantankerous, dirty, smelly Ol’ Timer (Cortland Johnson) admires the lovely Amanda from afar. He and his sidekick (Larry Mattox) would do anything to help her — and that’s a good thing, because a need will arise.
The show also has an Oriental gentleman, Wing Tip (J.R. Romero), who goes about dispensing wise sayings, and a mystery woman (Dominique Pierce) who has a bombshell to explode.
As always, the Grub Gulch Garter Girls open the show with a rousing cancan. The Grub Gulch Grannies will dance to “Dem Bones” and the Garter Girls strut their stuff to “Buffalo Gals.”
“The Shame of Tombstone” plays at:
-7 p.m. on Saturdays, Aug. 11, 18, 25, and Sept. 1, 8, 15, 22
-2 p.m. Sundays, Aug. 12, 26, and Sept. 9, 23.
The theatre opens one hour before show time.
Tickets: $12, general; $10, 55 and older; $8, active military and 13-18 years old; $6, 4-12 years old. Group rates available. Seating is at tables of eight.
Reservations and information: (559) 683-7112, www.goldenchaintheatre.org and Facebook.
The Grub Gulch Saloon serves beer, wine and mixed drinks and movie theater-type snacks and drinks. And as always, popcorn is free.
