“Eight Days in Paradise” – a Historical One-Act Play to be Presented November 4
The Paradise Historical Society will host a Wise County-wide historical presentation on Saturday evening, November 4, 2017 at 6:00 PM. The subject will be the 1933 Kidnapping of Oklahoma oilman, Charles Urschel, in the form of an one-act play called “Eight Days in Paradise”.
On July 22, 1933, Machine Gun Kelley and side-kick Albert Bates kidnapped Oklahoma oilman, Charles Urschel, from his home in Oklahoma City and drove him to a farm near Paradise, Texas. Nine days later he was released after a $200,000 ransom payment was made. Eight of those nine days the hostage spent in the ramshackle farmhouse of Armon Shannon, the 22 year old son of Boss Shannon. This dramatization will depict how the captive survived, bound and blind-folded, during those disturbing and traumatic days and how his intellectual bravery eventually took him from victim to victor.
This historical dramatization will be presented at the beautifully preserved G. C. Rann Auditorium, Wise County Heritage Museum, at 1602 South Trinity Street, Decatur, Texas 76234. Advance tickets are $10 and may be purchased at the Paradise Museum Tuesdays and Saturdays each week from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm; at Hometown Tees Monday-Friday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm; or online at http://www.paradisehistoricalsociety.org/eight-days-paradise/ (plus $1 handling fee). Tickets at the door will be $12. All proceeds will benefit the Paradise Museum. Seating is limited, so patrons are encouraged to purchase early.
Actors include: Jim Taylor, Rob Little, Bryson Clark, Wayne Smith, Jan Pierce, Adrienne Faulhaber, Chris Hodges; and Slade Shannon, who will play the part of his great-grandfather, Armon. Brenda Jabs will be the moderator; stage manager is Shanna Smith; lighting and sound – Kaya Shannon and Kerry Clower. Writer/Director, Donna Weeden.
All members of Wise County Historical Societies, community groups, and the general public are invited to attend this hour-long, captivating, entertaining, and dramatic event. Light refreshments will follow.
Tickets: $10 plus $1 handling fee.
All proceeds benefit the Paradise Museum.
Purchase Your Tickets Online Here.
Tickets will be available at Hometown Tees as well.