Cherokee “Adventure” a success

 “Under the Cherokee Moon - the 1800s version” received a standing ovation from the full house at the Will Rogers Memorial Theatre. Laurette Willis, playwight, director and actor with four of her cast members took the show on the road for the Claremore presentation.

"The 'Adventures in Indian Territory' version of Under the Cherokee Moon was presented during the summer at the Cherokee Heritage Center."

The first act was set at the Cherokee Female Seminary or “Fem Sem,” with Willis playing dual roles of Trail of Tears survivor and Seminary graduate Carrie Bushyhead and eccentric Seminary instructor Sarah Worcester. They shared stories of survival and triumph from the Removal and early days of “Fem Sem” to Gen. Stand Watie’s deadly Civil War Battle in Indian Territory.

Willis switched roles to Belle Starr in Indian Territory days of patriots, outlaws and lawmen and a teen-age “ropin’ fool: Will Rogers. Capt. John  C. West of the Indian Police and celebrities Zeke Proctor and Ned Christie livened the evening and times of gun-toting rivals.

 

Ordinary citizens could be confused with the outlaws in Indian Territory days as the cast portrayed in “Adventures in Indian Territory.”  Members of the cast were Gano Perez (Zeke Proctor), David Fuller (Capt. John West), Laurette Willis (Belle Starr), T-ginc (Ned Christie) and Larkin McCann (Willie Rogers).

 

 

Capt. John West (David Fuller) faced off with Ned Christie (T-ginc) in a scene from Indian Territory Days.

 

 

Belle Starr (Laurette Willis) knew personally the good and bad guys of Indian Territory and deals with Indian Territory celebrity Zeke Proctor (Gano Perez)