Dan Daredevil's Coming to Save the Day

Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear.

Pretty Betty Parker receives a desperate plea for help from her eccentric Uncle Philo. With help from Dan Daredevil -- America's number one hero -- and Woof the Wonder Dog, Betty will attempt to rescue her uncle from deep within Nightmare Castle.

But first, a word from our sponsor.

O'Fallon TheatreWorks latest production is the musical comedy The Amazing Adventures of Dan Daredevil. The show is a spoof of the adventure programs that were a staple of the golden age of radio in the 1940s.

The musical runs this weekend and next, Friday-Sunday, on April 29-May 1 and May 6-8 at the , 100 N. Main St. Show times are 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays.

Written by Tim Kelly with music by Arne Christiansen and lyrics by Ole Kittleson, The Amazing Adventures of Dan Daredevil was published in 1989. It features the songs "The Thrill of It All," "Think Like a Shark" and "You'd Better Tell."

"None of us had heard of it before except our musical director, who said it was absolutely hysterical," said Darren Granaas, O'Fallon's cultural arts coordinator. "It's a fun, offbeat show."

In addition to the humor, the show's relative obscurity and simple staging also worked in its favor when deciding to put it in the theater company's lineup.

"It's a cost-effective show that's extremely funny and has not been done in the area before," Granaas said.

But it's not simply people standing in a circle and reading from a script.

"The actors are actually acting it out as opposed to standing at a microphone and speaking words," Granaas said. "It's a really neat concept."

Meanwhile, Dan, Woof and Betty approach Nightmare Castle, where they are beset upon by pirates and mysterious creatures. Can Dan defeat his arch-nemesis The Fog and stay out of the evil clutches of the beautiful Countess Frederika?    

We'll let you know right after this word from Crunchy Chews.

And who has the courage to dodge death rays and hopefully save the day in the role of Dan Daredevil? None other than Oscar Lares, making his 11th appearance in an O'Fallon TheatreWorks  production.

"I also was interested in the narrator role but I knew I could pull off Dan Daredevil," Lares said. "So I just went all out."

After performing in a recent production of "The Crucible," Lares was ready for something more light-hearted.

"I like comedies and the whole spoof mentality," he said. "It's over the top and a musical and a good family show. Everyone can relate to the old radio shows with a villain and a good guy."

Lares compared Dan Daredevil to the early days of television, when shows were performed largely by vaudeville talent. "Those old shows were over the top and that's where the fun is," he said. "If it's big and loud with big moves you've got a good show.

Tickets for The Amazing Adventures of Dan Daredevil cost $10 for ages 18-64 and $8 for students (ages 6-17) and seniors (age 65 and older) when ordered in advance by calling 636-474-2732. Tickets will be available at the box office one hour before the show for an additional $2 each ($12 general admission, $10 students/seniors). Children ages five and younger are admitted free.

"It's simple, the music is jumpy and bumpy," Lares said. "Kids will like it, older folds will like it. It's for everyone."

The show is directed by Abby Bridges with assistance from Barry Leudloff (musical director), Bryan Schulte/Exclusive Events (sound and lights), Jerry Crump (set design/construction), Roxanne Seegers (props and costumes) and Arturo Latimer (stage manager). The cast includes Oscar Lares, Jerry Crump, Sara Pollock, Bill Duncan, Doug Alexander, Lauren Maag, Roxanne Seegers, Robert Wells, Christine Medley, Ace Gilkey, Kim Morris, Riley Reedy, Kathy Porter, Patty Robinson and Hanna Michaelree.

For more information contact Granaas at 636-474-8150 or dgranaas@ofallon.mo.us. If you would like to volunteer to assist with the production call 636-379-5507 or e-mail volunteer@ofallon.mo.us.