Tensions between North and South valley were worse than ever in this year’s SonofaGun performance. The play, a fundraiser for the Gunnison Arts Center, gave community members a chance to laugh at their feud.
“Typically our show is mostly based on what’s happening in Gunnison, but this year we decided to include a lot more of what was happening up in Crested Butte and kind of pair them against each other,” said writer and director Paul Giberson. “It’s always in a loving way. SOG is meant to be a roast of our local community, but we always do it in a fun way.”
Giberson mentioned that the idea was given by a community member after last year's show. Typically, the writers wait until the fall to begin their draft, but this idea was just too perfect.
“We lightly leaned into the idea of Romeo and Juliet. Somebody from up valley fell in love with somebody from down valley, and just the shenanigans that happened as they were falling for each other.”
The characters, all fictional, represent spoofed versions of classic Shakespearean characters, given character traits and names that connect them to our beloved valley.
“We set the show all over the valley,” said Giberson.
From the Eldo, to RTA stops, up Schofield pass, out to Jack’s Cabin and around Almont, the story was an homage to the Gunnison Basin.
The play, which ran nine shows between its two running weekends, gave us the story of Fomeo, a Crested Butte local with a serious fear of missing out, and Fooliet, a Gunnison rancher with old school family roots.
“It was fun bringing more of our geography and what we love about the mountains to life,” said Giberson, referencing the Montebuttes and the Cowpewletts.
The show had 52 roles played by 27 different actors, most of whom were returners. Viewers may have been pleased to see that Samuel Vickers was back this year in his fifth SOG after an almost seven-year hiatus. Vickers grew up in Gunnison, acting in SOG’s in middle and high school. He left the valley for college, and has made his triumphant return. He was a nurse by day and Fomeo by night.
“We had a blast having him back in the cast,” said Giberson.
Writer and director Shelly Pierson texted Vickers at 6:30 p.m. the night of auditions, during them, to see if he’d be interested. Vickers raced down to the arts center with no notice, no monologue prepared, no music to sing to, and still he was the natural choice for the lead.
“It was exciting just to get involved and have a fun, serious commitment,” said Vickers, a young adult who is still navigating the working world and how to fit hobbies into clusters of responsibilities.
“I wasn’t really sure how to embrace it. It felt different. It felt easier to be comical about it. The cliches that people say people in CB can have,” said Vickers, a Gunnison local playing a deeply stereotypical Crested Buttian.
“The cast that I worked with this year was awesome. I think just because of me being older now, I was able to connect with everyone more. It was great. Everyone was so awesome to work with,” said Vickers. “You actually make connections with people, but you're not going to see them again until you’re going down the pasta aisle at City Market or whatever,” he laughed. “It’s like a summer camp relationship.”
After a month and a half of rehearsals, four nights a week, anyone can start to feel like family.
“As long as I’m in Gunnison I will do it every year,” said Vickers. “As long as it’s happening I want to be there.”
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