Ritzville Adams County Journal, April 2, 2009
Outlaws to serve as ambassadors during Western Art Show on Memorial Day Weekend
Journal photo by Stephen McFadden
OUTLAWS. Members of the Ritzville Community Theatre troupe will play a key role as ambassadors during the third annual Historic Ritzville Days Western Art Show on Memorial Day weekend. These seven wild west outlaws will be working the streets of the downtown business district throughout the three-day event, meeting and greeting visitors while portraying a specific character. The cast includes (back row, l to r) Bob Wiitala as Black Bart, Jake Harder as Virgil Walter Earp, Miles Athey as Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp and Harry Shafer as John Henry “Doc” Holliday; (front row) Kathryn Schafer as Big Nose Kate, Ethel Rott as Kitty Leroy and Joan Bohna as Calamity Jane. The art show committee invited the cast to participate in this year’s show as a way to enhance the theme of the event and increase the number of local residents who are present and able to welcome out-of-town visitors. This year’s show features a full roster of western entertainment that starts with the Friday night artists’ reception, which will be open to the public, all the way through the end of the show on Sunday. The entertainment is free. Featured performers include cowboy poet Waddie Mitchell, Wylie Gustafson, Juni Fisher, RockinHW and Nevada Slim and Cimarron Sue. On Saturday night a street dance is planned following the conclusion of the Ritzville High School Alumni Association banquet. Bob Manning and Nashville West of Oregon will provide the music for the street dance.