(Courtesy photo)

SALADO (August 14, 2012)--Chapter eight in the Silver Spur Theater's annual melodrama, "Ballot Box Bedlam! Or The Millionaire Mountebank's Mayoral Machination" by Salado resident Gary Askins, is coming to a close and those putting it on say the political melodrama is guaranteed to find your funny bone.

"I think the adults, as much as the kids, love throwing popcorn at the power-hungry villain trying to hijack the one-candidate mayor race," says Grainger Esch, Artistic Director of the Silver Spur.

"We're having to use a leaf blower to clean up our 150-seat venue."

Esch portrays Park Ranger Tex Grainger, working hard to save Miss Goody Goody, Karen Ewton, and the peaceful Salado citizenry from the peril of the unfair election.

Pete Asplund of Fort Worth plays villain Snidely O. Slipknot who's Super-Duper PAC has rigged the voting to put his stooge Herman Lame, Tony Blackman, into office.

"It's a healthy dose of slapstick, song and satire, plus a newly-made, old-style silent film that has made our melo so popular with families," Esch said.

"And our long-time music director, Nelda Milligan of Salado, keeps the comedic action moving along with live music.

"With all the election train hoopla and presidential campaign hijinks this election year, I thought it might be high time for the battered electorate to step back and have some old-fashioned laughs at our increasingly distorted political picture," Askins said.

“But on a small town scale, of course!"

Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and the matinee is at 2 p.m. Saturday.

For reservations, call the box office at (254) 947-3456.