By This month, the Carroll College Theater Department has transported students from their midterm studying to the fantastic world of the Wild West with their production of “Untitled Calamity Jane Play.”
Written by Kati Frazier and directed by Kim Shire, this play tells a refreshingly honest and modern take on the Western legend of Calamity Jane.
First year from Billings, Montana, Jules Reger-Brown, who plays the part of Wild Bill, describes the play as “…an extremely quirky take on the myth and mystery surrounding Calamity Jane herself…” Reger-Brown is at Carroll studying for a nursing degree.
Jane is traditionally known for her outlandish life as an outlaw. But this play takes a more nuanced approach to draw distinctions between the Calamity Jane pop culture has introduced us to, and the genuine woman she might have been.
By transforming the black box theatre into a Western bar, audience members are transported into a saloon experience, complete with complimentary drinks and a table adorned with playing cards and poker chips.
Utilizing non-traditional storytelling, “Calamity Jane” conveys layers of meaning and depth through its scenes. Set in different times throughout Jane’s life, each scene felt unique and exciting as it slowly unraveled pieces of Jane’s character and legacy.
“I have no real answers to the questions that this play asks, but it has led me to think more about my own story, how I tell it, and how others will tell it after I’m gone,” says director Kim Shire.
The play does in fact challenge us to think about what legacy means, and how legends evolve over time. Shire is the Associate Professor of Theatre here at Carroll College and has an MFA in Directing Theatre for Young Audiences and Costume Design from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
Tommy Derden, from Eagle, Idaho, was another first year cast member.
“The play has been an awesome experience, really seeing how all the directors and crew mix with the cast to create such an epic retelling of the Calamity Jane story,” said Derden. “I could totally see myself doing another one because it’s just too darn fun.” Derdan is a Biology major here at Carroll.
It is evident by watching the play that all the cast members have worked incredibly hard and have a genuine love for what they do and a passion for the story they are telling.
While we may never know who Calamity Jane really was, this play challenges us to reconsider the legend we thought we knew.
The theater’s next show will be April 4-April 13, 2025 and will feature “Suzette Who Set to Sea.”
