A ‘PONY EXPRESS’ RIDE TO THE WILD WEST

“Yahoo! Eldorado’s got ladies!” A group called the Latest Stage is offering an original outdoor Wild West drama called “The Pony Express” this weekend at Will Rogers State Historic Park in Pacific Palisades.

Benjamin Thompson and Ella Belzberg’s play is in the spirit of the rowdy, sentimental dramas recently collected in Glenn Loney’s “California Gold-Rush Plays.” It has everything: a hanging, gunplay, a passel of grizzled miners, two fine ladies from the East, “Sweet Betsy From Pike,” a louse race and the dramatic arrival of Pony Bob on horseback, with an arrow in his chest. It’s only a flesh wound.

The story could use some lashing together. At first the question seems to be whether the good guys of Eldorado will be able to save the town from the Golden Arm Gang. But when the fancier of the two visiting ladies (Cynthia Ettinger) subtracts a miner’s stash from his tent, our attention naturally goes to that. Pony Bob adds a third complication. It’s one damn thing after another, and reading the script doesn’t clear it up.

Another difficulty--at least in Sunday’s preview at Franklin Canyon Park in Beverly Hills--is that it’s hard for the viewer to keep the good guys of Eldorado physically separate from the baddies. They all seem to mill around together, with an occasional break for a rassling match or a hoedown. Perhaps director Thompson could do more with groupings to remind us whom we’re supposed to be rooting for.

The acting goes with a whoop and a holler. Martin Ortiz as Flannelmouth Paddy and Sean Terry as Joaquin (with the bullwhip) are particularly loud and clear, with Ettinger and Pamela Mink not at all daunted at being the first gals in Eldorado.

The preview did seem a little short on horses, but more are promised at the actual show, which plays Friday through Sunday at 14253 Sunset Blvd., Pacific Palisades, starting at 8 p.m. Dress warmly. Information: (213) 659-5193.

‘THE PONY EXPRESS’

Benjamin Thompson and Ella Belzberg’s play, presented by the Latest Stage. Producer Belzberg. Director Thompson. Combat choreography Anthony DeLongis. Makeup artist David Rockello. Dance choreographer Paula Shelley. Costumer Pamela Mink. Stage manager Tricia Dong. Technical Phil Lubin. Assistants Robert Mestman, Jorie Collins, Natalie Sofer. Equestrian Laleh Sooomekh. Understudy Ilana Nash. With Christopher Metas, Vincent J. Foster, James Terry, Lee Arenberg, Martin Ortiz, Brent Hinkley, Bruce Whitney, Warren Somers, Scott Rogers, Benjamin Russell, Tim Lee Rafelson, Sean Terry, Ron Campbell, Pamela Mink, Cynthia Ettinger, Benjamin Schick, Kimberly Christy. Plays at 8 p.m. Fri.-Sun. at Will Rogers State Historic Park, 14253 Sunset Blvd., Pacific Palisades. Tickets $7. (213) 659-5193.