LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / December 25, 1999

LULING – The scene: Snowy Gulch in the Old West. It’s Christmas time, butBubble Gum Bart has come to town, aiming to spoil the holiday. To therescue, though, comes the Candy Cane Kid.

That, in a nutshell, was Luling Elementary School’s first-graders’ holiday program, together with songs, dancing and the sheer joy only a first-grade class can give such an event.

“Christmas at the O.K. Corral” featured Earl Brown as Bubble Gum Bart,William O’Shea as The Candy Cane Kid, Douglas Gilder as The Mayor, Rachelle Bethancourt as Ralph the Reindeer and Alvin Kelly as Santa Claus.

The apron of the Luling Elementary stage was filled with the chorus, led by music director Chesley Simoneaux. The stage set included the barbershop, with Rico Darensbourg as the barber; the school, with Victoria Dupre as the teacher; Tracie Farrell as Mrs. Mayor; Lashae Wilson as the icecream saloonkeeper; Jhari Johnson as the blacksmith; and Billy Henderson as the general store clerk.

Everyone is excited about Christmas when suddenly, Bubble Gum Bart rides into town and threatens to derail Christmas by smearing bubble gum on everyone. In a tizzy, the mayor sends an urgent telegram to Santa, whodispatches the Candy Cane Kid to the rescue.

Once the Kid arrives, it is soon revealed that Bart’s problem is that he thinks nobody likes him. The townspeople quickly respond and he gains atown full of friends, and a happy Christmas is celebrated by all.

A sing-a-long followed with audience participation.

The program was presented Dec. 14, with a morning performance for theschool, an afternoon performance for the public and an evening performance for parents and family members.

Acknowledgements were also given to Monsanto and Montel for the set construction, Prarie Tumbleweed Farm for real tumbleweeds and Brian Champagne for hay bales.

And a “rootin-tootin’ time” was held by all.

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