2010 Old Sacramento Performer Missives Page
2012 Missives Page | 2011 Missives
Historic Old Sacramento (HOS)
~ Red Barn Players Missive #9 ~
Founders' Day for Sacramento City!
August 14 & 15
The Founders of Sacramento
This week we will honor the founders of Sacramento City, including Mayor Hardin Bigalow, the Big Four: Mark Hopkins, C.P. Huntington, Charles Crocker and Leland Stanford , and others of note in the development of the city. There will be a Settlers' Association Parade (see the Squatters' Riot notes below) and the ever popular Road Raising Rally and Debate. Last but not least, local women will March for Suffrage - a most stirring and engaging event.
We are delighted to announce Smokey Knott & The Boll Weevils, joining our team of very capable and entertaining musicians this Sunday.
Come on out and join us for Founders' Day in Sacramento City!
In this HOS Missive:
THE SQUATTER'S RIOT
We are planning on having the Settlers' Association parade through the streets, followed by the Mayor's posse. They will meet at Waterfront Park at 2:00. Carl West (Charles Crocker) will do a 3rd person introduction to the crowd explaining the basis for the fight. The settlers will converge on the site right after he finishes and we return to 1st person. The sides will shout their arguments for a minute until the Mayor appears. The settlers will then start shouting "Kill the Mayor" until Wells fires the signal shot, at which time they will all fire - most at the Mayor, who falls from the back of the wagon. Posse members will run to drag/carry him away. The rest will provide covering fire. The Settlers/Squatters will fire a few more shots then break and run in all directions. The Posse will charge the last few hold outs and continue the chase out of sight. Two of the costumed spectators will then be seen on the ground. Some posse members will go to their aid. Carl will reappear in 3rd person to explain what happened and to introduce the shooting that took place the next morning as the sheriff attempted to arrest squatter leaders. He will do a quick wrap-up and take a bow. The 1st person folks will be back on the streets.
We will need as many men as we can get to fill in the crowds around the shooters, so you don't need a gun to be in this shoot out. But if you have a club or ax/pick handle please bring it along. We will need two people to represent the two bystanders who were hit by stray bullets. We will also need people to help us keep visitor from moving into the line of fire; the more the merrier. So please plan on joining us for the big shootout.
A Little Background
This was the most dramatic act of violence that took place in early Sacramento. It was a conflict between the mostly poor, mostly Irish settlers and the rich land owners who held some questionable claims to nearly every square inch of the area. The settlers/squatters believed that they had the right to claim federal land. The newly forming establishment disagreed and took to sending goons to tear down the newcomers' homes. The settlers wanted to send a message that they were armed and organized. So they put together an armed parade to show off their strength and resolve. The authorities saw it and became worried that they were planning on attacking the jail and freeing a couple of their leaders, so they quickly formed an armed posse. When the two sides met, Mayor Hardin Bigelow advanced to the front to talk to them. Unfortunately, many of the settlers had just recently had their homes torn down on his orders. When they saw him, the call went out to "Shoot the mayor". Many of them volley fired at him, putting four bullets into him. He survived and went to San Francisco to recuperate where he caught cholera and died. As so many of the settlers had fired so fast, they suddenly found themselves facing an armed posse with empty guns. They fired their last few shots while falling back to hold the posse at bay while they broke and ran for their lives. Thus ended Sacramento's one and only real gunfight, all done in a matter of minutes.
Ladies Edification Society
Please join us for a presentation of the Cabinet of Curiosities after the Melodeon is over. We still have room for folks who wish to do 5-15 minute lectures and 10-25 minute domestic crafts demonstrations in the afternoon. See Wells if you would like to join in on the great debate: Union vs. Secession. E-mail him if you'd like further information: wkbtwombly@att.net
Chinese Herbalist - amazing the travelers
Visit the new Chinese Herbalist in Town
Letitia and her daughter are pleasing the crowds at their Chinese Herbalist shop. Tell her your ailments and she will whip up a packet of traditional herbs wrapped in rice paper. She'll even write down all their names for you, in Chinese. They're teaching visiting kids to write their numbers in Chinese with a traditional ink brush. The Herbalist Shop is located right next to the Victorian Crafts area. Drop by and say "Ni How".
New Photos - Russ Hicks shares his photography
Russ has sorted through and posted his photos from these past two weekends. They're on his photo site for your perusal. The photos are his gift to all of us for our willingness to participate and are free to download for your personal use. Enjoy!
hickspix.smugmug.com/Theater/Red-Barn-Old-Sac-Performance
Carpool from The East Bay
Still looking for carpools from the East Bay (drive or ride). Please let us know if you're willing. We'll help you connect for rides. daywilliams@earthlink.net
RSVP - Enjoy the bountiful buffet
Remember to RSVP for the weekend days you're going to be with us.
Please do that by Wednesday evening of that week.
Many thanks to those who are!
RSVP to Robert: robert@redbarnproductions.org
Previous Missives - and signing up for the missive
Please review previous missives to answer many questions. Here's how to find them:
http://redbarnproductions.org/missives.htm
You can also subscribe to the missive list at this link. Send anyone here who asks about the missive.
Contact - The RBP directors and how to find them:
Jeffrey Weissman <jeffreyweissman@sbcglobal.net> -- Characters, Medicine Shows
Chase Williams <daywilliams@earthlink.net> -- Melodeon, Melodrama, Musicians
Robert Young <robert@redbarnproductions.org> -- Street Theater & Missive Maven
Wells & Kathleen Twombly <wkbtwombly@att.net> -- Research, Themes, Activities
Kimbell Jackson <kimbell.jackson@sbcglobal.net> -- Greenroom
Liz Martin <pinkdepforddoll@gmail.com> -- Costumes
Robert Young
Missive Maven
Historic Old Sacramento
robert@redbarnproductions.org |
