Hidden treasure in Encampment

This year, the Grand Encampment Opera Company will present "The Treasure of Shiver River or It's Hard to Drive Cattle When Their Horns are Frozen," by Flip Kobler and Cindy Marcus.

The melodrama has all the traditional plot elements for a melodrama. The nasty scoundrel Rod Enreel will soon take over the Shiver River Ranch and find the hidden treasure if Colonel Sanders can't sell his cattle to come up with the mortgage money. Heroic Marshal Marshall Law would love to propose to Heidi Claire, the colonel's daughter, yet he can't for some reason. There's the option for Heidi to marry the black-hearted villain, though he only plans to do her in and abscond with the treasure to his romance novel-loving partner-in-crime, Paige Turner–or is it with con-artist Dr. Orphelia Payne that he also brought into town? The "plan" will be revealed at the performances.

Sticking with the tradition of Opera Company melodramas, there will be high kicks from can-can girls and toe tapping music along with antics from the rest of the cast and crew. The crew will perform June 15, 17 and 18 in conjunction with the Encampment-Riverside Woodchopper's Jamboree at the Grand Encampment Opera House, 622 Rankin, in Encampment. All performances begin at 7 p.m. with admission by donation at the door. Produced by special arrangement with Pioneer Drama Services out of Englewood, Colo.