Event

Stevie Taybeck (the musical)

Just about a hundred years ago, I was woken by rough hands pulling me from the warmth and safety of my bed. It was in the early hours of a frigid January morning. I didn't scream. Pa raised me better'n that. Wouldn't have done a lick of good anyway. I wasn't surprised and even if I had been, I wouldn't have given them folks the satisfaction of hearin' my protests.

Mrs. Wagoner donated the rope and Reverend Jamison tied the knot. It's been told, and rightly so, that I spit directly in that man's eye and wished him a bumpy ride to hell in language not suitable for this post. When Billy Thurston, deputy sheriff at the time, hefted me onto the back of his old mare, I got a hold of his right ear and came away with a goodly piece of it still in my mouth. Shoulda seen the look on that old boy's face. That was a hoot for certain! Ha! He was hoppin', cussin' and screamin' like a little girl when Floyd Martin finally lost all his patience and swatted old Cassie's hindquarters sendin' her trottin' for home. She didn't give one bit a thought to leaving me swingin' and kickin' in the breeze. I reckon she was happy to be shed of the extra weight and be on her way. Weren't nothin' to her.

They say it took a full two minutes before I stopped twitchin'. Them that was there said I cackled right up to when the rope cut it off. Even after the good Father Jamison pronounced me gone to my maker, he swears I had a grin on my face would a given shivers to the devil himself. Billy, missin' a chunk of his ear, and the rest walked away knowin' in their hearts they done the right thing. Yep, every one of 'em was certain for sure that things would be gettin' back to normal real quick like. I guess they was wrong.

You can't put a bad girl down that easy.

Stevie

An original play written and directed by William Marshall

Music & Lyrics by William Marshall

Presented by No Ties Production