Chicken Creek Diaries opens August 19TH with opening night champagne reception

It is now time to come visit Chicken, Alaska. TAPA (Tillamook Association for the Performing Arts) and TLC Federal Credit Union will be presenting “Chicken Creek Diaries”. This is a true story based on the book, “Tisha” written by Robert Specht and adapted for a musical by Marilyn Allen.

This story takes place primarily in the years 1927 and 1928 in Chicken, Alaska, a frontier settlement in gold-mining territory, not far from the heart of the Klondike gold-rush.

Anne Hobbs, a young girl of 19 encouraged by her Granny to go to a “new land”, arrives in the Alaska bush as a school teacher. She seeks adventure and a new life, finding this and more, falling in love with a “half-breed” Eskimo, a forbidden love for a young white girl in the 1920’s of this Alaska town. Though marriages between white men and Indian or Eskimo women are common, the re verse is not. The distraught citizenry are vigorously opposed to this unfolding romance as well as to Anne’s efforts to adopt two “half-breed” Indian children. Their disapproval is expressed through angry letters to the commissioner of Education, vicious gossip, verbal and physical abuse, and downright deceit.

Anne learns that the freedoms offered by a new developing country engender not only a “big-heartedness” she has not yet experienced , but also the opposite, allowing people to be “as mean as they want”.

Her growing love for the country, however, and one person in particular, is stronger than any hardships endured through Alaskan winters and the barbs of bigoted townsfolk.

Anne will not be defeated and this is her story which will open on Friday, August 19, 2011 with our champagne gala. This opening night’s ticket allows the ticket holder to one free champagne drink or sparkling cider. The show continues on August, 20, 26,27, and September 2 & 3, curtain time at 7:00 p.m. and also a matinee on August 28, at 2:00 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. respectively.

Reserved tickets may be purchased at Diamond Art Jewelers in Tillamook (503-842-7940) or at the door. Ticket prices are $12.00 for Adults, $9.00 for Seniors and students and $35.00 for an immediate family of four.

There is some very good foot-stompin’ music. Come join the fun and entertainment.

Back Row from left to right – Robert Kratz, Jr.,Tim Kershaw, Robert Bishop, Gerry Cortimilia, Bill Farnum, Steve Kershaw Middle Row from Left to right – Chey Kuzma, Jennifer Purcell, Caryn Backman, Bill Briot, Lora Ressler, Julie Bucknam Front Row from left to right – Spencer Collins, Logan Nelson, Abigail Absher, Zachary Nelson, Emily Nord-Rush not pictured are: Karen Downs, Collin Purcell, Kasey Purcell, Sam Kuzma, Kayla Cooley and Lilly Weber